Contents August 2 A 2018 01 18 5 5V 42 2
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Upscale grilling DW LWV ÀQHVW
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Feature: Cold noodles for the summer
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Restaurant: Miga’s grilling mastery
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Ingredient: Goya, the bitter melon
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Travel: Kariya’s curious sights
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Event: Toronto Anime Matsuri
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Only in Japan: Nebuta Matsuri
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Book: Convenience Store Woman
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Event: Sanko celebrates 50 years
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Event: Japan Festival Canada 2018
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EDITOR’S NOTE Old favourites made new This month, we’re featuring a few twists on dishes you already know and love. 9HTLU PZ H WLYLUUPHS MH]V\YP[L PU ;VYVU[V I\[ P[ TPNO[ UV[ IL `V\Y ÄYZ[ JOVPJL when it’s sweltering outside. Then why not give one of our featured cold noodle KPZOLZ H [Y`& :H]V\Y` HUK YLMYLZOPUN·^OH[ H JVUJLW[ 7S\Z H[ [OPZ TVU[O»Z Z[Hќ WPJR YLZ[H\YHU[ ZV\ўt WHUJHRLZ HYL ÄUHSS` OLYL·H ZVM[ Z^LL[ JYLH[PVU `V\»SS have to try to believe.
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, Amanda Taylor, M Crowson, Nicholas Jones, Nina Lee, Sarah Dickson Designers Chieko Watanabe, Midori Yamamoto Assistant Saki Asao 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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Premium Beef Tongue :H]V\Y` Ã…H]V\YM\S ((( ILLM [VUN\L [OPUS` ZSPJLK HUK ZLY]LK ^P[O H [YPV VM [VWWPUNZ
Hungry for more? Let’s dig in!
N
e a r t h e w e s t e r n b o rd e r o f Mississauga sits a restaurant that has long been a staple for celebrations. In Seo Song opened Miga Korean & Japanese BBQ Restaurant in 2002 in order to share the traditional elements of Korean and Japanese cuisine made with the finest ingredients. Inside its warm, inviting brick exterior and wood-panelled interior, Miga has gained an impressive reputation by offering premium cuts of meat, the freshest seafood and highly attentive service.
Miga’s owner and head chef has developed a menu that appeals to all tastes—from traditional Korean stone-pot rice dishes (16 varieties!) overflowing with mouthw a t e ri n g s a lm o n , p o r k , k im c h i, u n a g i a n d a voc a d o , t o h a n d - m a d e gyoza (dumplings) crammed with delicious AAA+ galbi beef shortrib, and the restaurant’s signature savoury seafood pancake, filled with delectable shellfish and scallions. But Miga is best known for its classic Korean and Japanese-style yakiniku barbecue. Every table is outfitted with a gleaming grill plate, giving patrons an opportunity to showcase their grilling chops. Attentive servers proffer perfectly marinated meats, seafood and vegetables,
while simultaneously assisting diners with obtaining the perfect sear on their dishes. New on the menu, Miga has begun offering wagyu beef. Flown in daily from Japan, this perfectly marbled, deliciously fatty premium A4 beef served with Himalayan pink salt is a must-have indulgence. I was also excited to try the premium AAA+ Canadian beef tongue, or N`Î?[HU served with Korean sea salt, lemon juice and Miga’s own house-made [HYL (BBQ dipping sauce). Equally chewy, buttery HUK [LUKLY [OL N`Î?[HU ^HZ H Z\YWYPZPUNS` delicious dish. The dishes were all served with an assortment of Korean ban chan, comprised of a variety of side dishes— two kinds of kimchi (made fresh in-house every day with cabbage), cucumber and fresh oyster with a touch of hot pepper paste for a little kick, fried potatoes in a sweet soy concoction, fish cakes lightly dusted with chili flakes, and bean sprouts lightly stir-fried in sesame oil. On a hot day, cool off with a sake cocktail for a meal that’s equal parts refreshing and satisfying. With my stomach engorged, I surrendered, leaving satiated after a sublime spread.
Naegi Galbi 7YPTL *HUHKPHU IVULSLZZ ZOVY[ YPI [VWWLK ^P[O TPUJLK NYLLU VUPVU
Naeng Myon
Galbi Dumplings
Perfect for summer, Naeng Myon is a Koreanstyle cold soup dish served spicy or mild with buckwheat noodles, sliced beef, radish and refreshing cucumber, topped with a boiled egg. ($13.95)
T h e s e h o m e m a d e f is t - s iz ed g y o z a are filled to bursting with diced AAA+ marinated galbi, vermicelli noodles, tofu and minced vegetables, and are pan-fried and served with house-made dipping sauce. ($7.95 for 3 or $10.95 for 5)
4PNH 2VYLHU 1HWHULZL ))8 9LZ[H\YHU[ 2382 Dundas St. W, Mississauga 905-822-9200 or 905-822-9300 migabbq.com OPEN: Sun–Thurs 11 am–10:30 pm Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm
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Ingredient | Goya
By Sarah Dickson
tofu, pork belly, egg and nutritious slices of goya. Generally known as bitter melon in English, goya as it is found in Japanese cuisine generally resembles a stout cucumber with a dark green, bumpy and toad-like outer texture. As the English name suggests, goya is known for its bitter taste, and it has a crisp texture when eaten raw. Beyond goya champuru, this fruit is also sometimes eaten in salads, fried as tempura, used as a soft drink flavour and even sometimes as the bitter element in beer in lieu of hops. Some even believe it should be consumed after a night of too much beer to ease a hangover.
GOYA
ゴーヤ いまや人気は全国区。栄養満点の グリーンカーテン、ゴーヤの魅力。
Goya my way? ;OL OLHS[O ILULÄ[Z THRL NV`H H [HZ[L ^VY[O HJX\PYPUN In Japan, every town and region has its own local, representative dish that residents and visitors alike have come to enjoy. In Osaka, it’s okonomiyaki. Hokkaido and many other regions have their own specialty ramen. Okinawa is no different, fostering a unique regional twist on Japanese food. Arguably, Okinawan food is more distinct due to the islands’ cultural and geographical distance from the rest of the Japanese archipelago. This hasn’t stopped Okinawan cuisine from growing in popularity throughout the rest of
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Japan, both for its distinct flavours and the health benefits it offers. The tropical climate of Okinawa lends itself to the cultivation of goya, a popular gourd that’s grown and eaten throughout Southeast Asia. For many Okinawans, there is nothing like sitting down to a can of Orion Beer and a plate of goya champuru. In the local dialect, the meaning of the word champuru is akin to “mixed together,” and refers to a stir-fry-style dish made from
Goya is also extremely nutritious. It is known for being rich in vitamins A and C— so rich that it contains four times as much vitamin C as a lemon. The high content of these vitamins makes goya a popular food for those suffering from a number of skin ailments, from eczema to acne, as well as boosting the immune system. Some studies have shown that consuming goya on a regular basis can lower bad cholesterol and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Like many other dark-coloured fruit and vegetables, goya is rich in antioxidants, making it helpful in preventing cancer. Due to the bitter flavour, goya is still an acquired taste for many. Adding salt before cooking, or boiling slices of goya in salt water, is said to reduce the bitterness and can be done to taste. Small quantities of goya can also be added to stir-fries, salads or smoothies to help acquire the taste for this nutritious food. It can easily be found in most Asian supermarkets, especially from July to September when it is in season.
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Travel | Kariya
By Nina Lee
KARI YA ミシサガ市をイメージさせる公園に、 年間入場者数800万人の娯楽施設。 自動車工業に支えられた歴史ある城下町。
Equal parts historic, futuristic, weird and verdant, Kariya is a small city with big dreams. .
Kariya had been on my bucket list of places to visit for a long time. After many springtime visits to her namesake park in Mississauga, I had been curious to visit the sister city located near Nagoya, Japan. When I finally had a chance to visit Kariya, I was delighted by the beauty of this industrial yet lavishly green city. Originally a castle town in the 1 6 t h c e n t u r y, K a r i y a w a s h o m e t o s e v e r a l w a r l o rd c l a n s t h ro u g h t h e centuries. Eventually the town was expanded to include several nearby v i l l a g e s , a n d i t b e c a m e a c e n t re f o r s a k e p ro d u c t i o n , c e r a m i c s , c o m m e rc e a n d m a n u f a c t u r i n g . To d a y, s e v e r a l a u t o m o b i l e m a n u f a c t u re r s m a i n t a i n futuristiclooking factories within the city limits, including Toyota (whose worldwide headquarters are housed i n n e a r b y Toyota City), Denso and Aisin Seiki.
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Japan is full of weird and wonderful tourist attractions, and Kariya is upholding this reputation. On the side of the Tomei Expressway is Highway Oasis, a rest stop that doubles as an amusement park! The park houses a 60-metre-tall Ferris wheel, illuminated at night, that offers magnificent 360-degree views of the region. The rest stop is also home to a water park that caters to sweltering vacationers in the summer, with an onsen and sauna onsite. Meanwhile, Kariya’s Mississauga Park gives visitors from Canada a sense of déjà-vu. This Western-style park is home to native Canadian evergreens, roses and a variety of other flowers that intermingle among Japanese maple trees, a replica of Mississauga’s farmhouse-inspired city hall, and sculptures depicting Canadiana such as maple leaves and polar bears. Being sister cities, the two municipalities maintain a strong
Spectacular gardens and curious attractions
connection, sending delegates to one another every other year and maintaining signature parks in the cities’ honour. Kariya also boasts some of the most spectacular gardens in the Nagoya region. The Kozutsuminishi Pond becomes a popular attraction in the early summer months as the 20,000-m² marsh erupts with thousands upon thousands of brilliantly coloured violet irises. This national natural treasure is so popular that the city runs a free tour bus to transport visitors daily while the flowers are in bloom. In the centre of the city, Floral Garden Yosami sits at the base of the Yosami radio transmission station and is home to exotic and rare blooms, a number of restaurants and a mini-train, as well as a traditional Englishstyle garden. I was lucky to visit Kariya during its Daimyo festival, which has been held every few years in early May in Kariya since the
1630s. Held at the Ichibara Inari Shrine, the capstone to this grand festival is the procession of performers in elaborate colourful costumes. Kariya is also home to a hanami (fireworks) festival held every spring in Kijo Park on the ruins of the ancient Kariya Castle, and the Kariya Mando festival, held annually over a weekend in late July. At the Mando festival, revellers are treated to a spectacular show with hundreds of intricately decorated, minivan-sized paper lanterns depicting warlords, demons and mythical creatures being paraded throughout the city. Often overlooked by visitors, Kariya is an unconventional side trip from Nagoya. From unorthodox amusement parks and largerthan-life traditional Japanese festivals to Canadian- and English-themed gardens, Kariya is home to an incongruently fabulous mix of sites and attractions.
KARIYA 【刈谷】 Kariya is located in the heart of Aichi Prefecture near Ise Bay and is about an hour south of Nagoya by train.
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Event | Toronto Anime Matsuri
By Amanda Plyley
TORONTO GETS ANIME-TED FANS OF JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY FILM, MUSIC AND POP CULTURE WILL WANT TO CATCH THIS EPIC EVENT.
he second weekend in August is bound to be an exciting one as the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) and the Toronto Japanese Film Festival (TJFF) join forces to present the city’s inaugural Toronto Anime Matsuri (TAM). Bringing together a wide range of hip Japanese speakers, entertainers, fashion icons and vendors as well as exciting games, anime screenings and a live concert lineup, TAM is set to be a one-of-a-kind event.
T
Oh, and you know there will be food—lots and lots of delicious Japanese food! At TAM, you can expect a fully immersive sensory experience with no less than seven anime films to choose from. With genres spanning sci-fi, action, romance and fantasy from some of Japan’s hottest anime directors, there’s film fun to be
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had by everyone. Don’t miss your chance to catch cinematic experiences brought to you by directors like Masaaki Yuasa, Mari Okada, Tomoki Kyoda and Kazuhiro Furuhashi. And if you’d rather rock out and leave it all on the dance floor, you’re in luck: JM FEST at TAM will feature both hugely popular and up-and-coming artists from across Japan and Canada with the aim of promoting a friendly musical exchange between the two countries. Be sure to stock up on sleep leading up to the weekend because you’ll want to catch Japanese girl group Pastel on Friday night, followed by the epic after-party with Toronto DJ collective Kawaii Bass late into the night on Saturday. As the first event of its kind, TAM is in good hands with the JCCC as its host. The Toronto-
based cultural centre has long had an affinity for supporting anime films, and presenting TAM together with the TJFF is a natural next step in sharing contemporary Japanese culture with Canadians. While you can find great films being screened at the JCCC year-round, one thing’s for sure: you won’t want to miss this action-packed weekend.
TAM film schedule: jccc.on.ca/tjff/anime-matsuri-2018/ JM FEST schedule: j-rocknorth.com/jmfest/ Tickets: www.ticketweb.ca/search?q=jccc18 or in person at the JCCC | $10 each ($5 for Shimajiro and the Rainbow Oasis) Location: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, 6 Garamond Ct., Toronto
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Only in Japan | Nebuta
By M Crowson
LIGHT IT UP!
Let yourself be swept away by the giant, whimsical folklore floats that light up the night at Aomori’s famous Nebuta Matsuri. 東北の三大祭り、ねぶた。跳人になって夏の暑さをしっかり楽しもう。 three million visitors travel to participate in the festivities. No one knows for sure how the festival first began, but it was probably inspired by the Buddhist ritual of sending lanterns downstream to honour ancestral spirits. Just like the religious tradition, the festival’s nebuta are carried out to sea, and a whole new set are made for the following year.
Illustration by Chieko Watanabe
Aomori Prefecture’s Nebuta Festival is considered one of the three great festivals of the Tohoku region. Held from August 2 to 7, the festival’s main attraction is the jaw-dropping collection of 20 nebuta, parade floats with enormous washi paper lantern figures which are handmade to resemble mythical figures, spirits and gods, kabuki actors, and TV characters from popular historical dramas. Sometimes you can even see familiar characters from Western popular culture, like a super-sized version of Yoda from Star Wars. Nebuta are locally built by a team of experts, who are given around ¥4 million to build
each one. Most of that money goes toward the cost of materials and labour, and the process can take anywhere from three months to a full year to complete. Though they’re made of just wood, wire and paper, these colourful beasts can rise up to 5 metres, with widths of up to 9 metres, and usually weigh several tons. Once constructed, the nebuta are completely illuminated inside with up to a thousand lightbulbs, which are strategically attached to the thick wood beams of the nebuta frame to minimize shadows and maximize the wow factor. The result is a visual spectacle that is truly one of the most impressive sights around. Each year over
During festival week, the nebuta parade the night streets, pulled by teams of up to 50 people. The handlers spin the mammoth floats around at each intersection, bringing the nebuta closest to the crowds of onlookers that cheer the loudest. They’re accompanied by cymbals, flutes, taiko drumming and hundreds of dancers, who bounce around chanting, “Rassera, rassera!” All dancers are brightly wrapped in haneto, a special summer yukata (robe), often paired with an elaborately decorated straw hat. The dancers are just as iconic to this festival as the floats themselves—but unlike the nebuta artisans, anybody can become a festival dancer, no training or advance notice required. All you need is a haneto costume, which is widely available for around ¥4,000 ($45–50 CAD) for rental, and ¥10,000 ($110–120 CAD) for purchase. On the final day, the nebuta embark on a daylight parade before they’re sent out to sea, and the festival closes with a spectacular two-hour firework show.
How to get into beast (lantern) mode Want to try out this exciting, interactive nebuta festival experience? Here are some simple tips to help you make the most of your visit.
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DO
DO NOT
DO
dance the night away.
forget a light jacket.
seafood and eat it.
Shops will help you put on the haneto, and fellow dancers will teach you the simple steps.
Summer evenings in Tohoku can get a bit chilly, so come prepared if you plan to party like a night owl.
Many festival food stalls offer fresh munchies from the sea, so dive in and prepare for waves of flavour.
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Bay station, across the street from the Cumberland exit.
Yorkville Ave.
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salon bespoke 2 floor
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Hakone Owakudani & Mt. Fuji Panorama (Return by Shinkansen) 1 Enjoy a dynamic tour of Mt. Fuji and Hakone. Experience the charm of Mt. Fuji with all five senses! This tour offers scenic views of magnificent Mt. Fuji. 2 Visit the quintessential Japan location! The tour will be guided to Arakurayama Sengen Park, a renowned scenic spot that everybody should visit at least once in their lifetime. 3 Highly popular! See vast panoramic views on Fuji-Q Highland’s popular ‘Fuji Airways’ attraction. Take a seat and watch the gigantic screen as it rolls out seasonal landscapes of Japan's iconic peak on this fascinating virtual flight. 4 See some of Japan's best dynamic scenery for yourself! Board the Hakone Ropeway which offers a 360-degree vast panoramic view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi, and head to Hakone’s famed Owakudani.
TOUR BASIC INFORMATION Departure city: Tokyo | Visits: Kanto, Yamanashi, Hakone, Mt. Fuji Duration: Approx. 11 hours | Date: DAILY (Until November 30, 2018) Includes: National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter, lunch, other admission fees and transportation costs included in the tour, Fuji-Q Highland Fuji Airways ride charges *Price is valid for month of August 2018. *Price may fluctuate monthly due to change in exchange rate.
PRICE
185
HOW TO PURCHASE
CAD $
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
I T I N E R A RY 8:50 - 9:00
17:00 - 19:30
Reception & departure from check-in counter on the 3rd floor of Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo’s Main Tower in Shinjuku Please arrive by 8:50. The bus will depart at 9:00. [Located] 5 minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station West Exit (JR Lines, Subway), or 1 minute on foot from Tochomae Station B1 Exit (Toei Oedo Line) www.keioplaza.com/map *Customers who are late for the departure time will have their bookings cancelled. Please leave plenty of time to reach the meeting location. (120 min via the Metropolitan and Chuo expressways)
Arakurayama Sengen Park
50
Fuji-Q Highland Fuji Airways Attraction
min
Participants will see vast panoramic views from Fuji-Q Highland’s popular ‘Fuji Airways’ attraction. Take a seat and watch the gigantic screen as it rolls out seasonal landscapes of Japan’s iconic peak on this fascinating virtual flight. Also includes a meal coupon that customers can use for their preferred food!
Owakudani
40
min
Owakudani is a volcanic valley created about 3,000 years ago as a result of Mount Hakone’s most recent explosive eruption. Volcanic activity can still be experienced here, with plumes of white smoke rising up from the barren rocky landscape.
min
Visit the renowned photogenic spot where Mt. Fuji and a five-storey pagoda can be seen simultaneously. - Get off the bus near Shimoyoshida Station, and walk for about 10 minutes to the entrance of Arakurayama Sengen Park. - From the park entrance, climb the 397 steps to the five-storey pagoda. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the peak.
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Hakone Ropeway
Odawara Station Board the Kodama Shinkansen to Tokyo in the nonreserved section.
18:00 - 20:00
Tokyo After arrival, please head to your next destination on your own from Tokyo Station. (Customers may also get off at Shin-Yokohama and Shinagawa.)
16
min
The ropeway is a popular way to take in beautiful views from high above the ground. There’s plenty to see at 700 metres above sea level from this 360-degree panoramic vantage point including Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi and Sagami Bay.
Togendai Get off the ropeway at Togendai.
40
min
Notes: 1. Arakurayama Sengen Park: Please wear clothes that are easy to move around in and shoes that are easy to walk in. 2. Seats are assigned on the bus. The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter will give instructions to participants on the tour day. Seating requests cannot be accepted. Smoking is not permitted on the bus. 3. Children age 5 and younger will not be assigned a bus seat and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian. If a seat on the bus is required for the child, please make a booking at the child rate (6-11 years old).
For more information, please contact JTB International at 1-800-268-5942 (toll-free) or email at jtbtoronto@jtbi.com www.bentoboxmag.ca
All photos ©JNTO
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Hit the books | Convenience Store Woman
By M Crowson
A LI FE OF CONVENI ENCE 4VYL X\PYR` ÄJ[PVU by women writers Dive into these funky, imaginative worlds created by contemporary Japanese authors.
Convenience Store Woman
Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto A set of postmodern stories that blend urban isolation with themes of spiritual awakening.
by Sayaka Murata Normalcy is highly overrated in Sayaka Murata’s quirky novella.
Author info
Sayaka Murata is the author of many books, and she won the Akutagawa Award for Convenience Store Woman, which was inspired by her real-life job experience. She has been included in Freeman’s “Future of New Writing” issue, and Vogue Japan selected her as Woman of the Year in 2016. She still works part-time at a konbini.
Keiko is great at her job. Her instincts are finely tuned to the ins and outs of daily AUG US T 2018
A quixotic and funny [HSL HIV\[ TPZÄ[Z ÄUKPUN ÄYZ[ SV]L H[ [OL supermarket.
British translator Ginny Tapley Takemori has translated works by more than a dozen Japanese writers, including From the Fatherland, with Love I` 9`Ȼ 4\YHRHTP Puppet Master I` 4P`\RP 4P`HIL HUK The Whale that Fell in Love with a Submarine by Akiyuki Nosaka. She lives at the foot of a mountain in Eastern Japan.
T h i r t y - s i x - y e a r- o l d K e i k o F u r u k u r a i s p e r f e c t l y c o n t e n t w i t h h e r l i f e . S h e ’s been working part-time at the Smile M a r t convenience store since she was eighteen. As a woman in her late thirties who’s never been in a relationship or considered a professional career, Keiko knows she isn’t normal, has known since childhood that her family thinks there’s something wrong with her that needs to be “cured.” So, after a few grade school incidents, she becomes quiet and unobtrusive, doing her best not to draw attention to herself, making no deep friendships but no real enemies either. She continues to feel slightly out of step with the world through her college days, until she goes into intensive training for the opening of a brand-new Smile Mart location. Her first day at work is life-changing: “for the first time ever, I felt I’d become a part in the machine of society. I’ve been reborn, I thought. That day, I actually became a normal cog in society.”
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Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami
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convenience store life. She knows just the right pitch and volume to use with customers, from greeting them when they enter, to thanking them for their purchase. She uses this same instinct to get along with a rotating stream of co-workers and managers, imitating their vocal inflections and style habits in order to maintain smooth, congenial interactions at work. But Keiko’s family and friends worry that she’s wasting her life. They pressure her to find a man before it’s too late, and to find a real, respectable job. Things come to a head when a new worker joins the Smile Mart team, and Keiko makes a dramatic decision that leads her down the path to a conventional life. Her family, friends and co-workers are overjoyed to see that she finally has a future—but is that really what she wants? The novella’s setting is thoroughly Japanese, and touches on some of the big issues facing society today, particularly Japan’s birth rate and employment problems. B u t t h e s t o r y ’s s o c i a l c o m m e n t a r y i s a l o w background hum against the high,
mesmerizing strangeness of its protagonist. 2LPRV»Z HU Vќ ILH[ OHYK [V MVYNL[ OLYVPUL ^OV packs a big punch, despite the book’s slender 163 pages. Japan-savvy readers will find themselves right at home in the familiar rhythms of the Smile Mart konbini, including the greeting shouts of “Irasshaimase,” which translator Ginny Tapley Takemori reproduces for English readers. The book is full of uncanny depictions of the clean, well-ordered Japanese convenience store. In Murata’s hands, the konbini is a world of dreamy perfection, enviably efficient and perpetually stocked to fulfill every customer’s up-to-the-moment needs. Yet the store is also eerily vacant of its own personality, and nothing about it remains from its first days. Other than Keiko, every single employee and commodity has changed many times over since the store’s opening. And despite how perfectly she fits in, Keiko realizes how easily she, too, can be replaced. Readers, on the other hand, will be hard-pressed to find a substitute for this book.
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News | Sanko
50 YEARS OF JAPANESE GOODS IN TORONTO ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF JAPANESE CULTURE IN TORONTO, SANKO TRADING CO. IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
e re i n To ro n t o , w e ’ re l u c k y t o have access to a wide variety of Japanese goods—but it w a s n ’ t a l w a y s s o e a s y. O n e of the stalwarts of Japanese c u l t u re i n o u r c i t y i s S a n k o Tr a d i n g C o . , a w e l l - k n o w n J a p a n e s e food and gift shop, which has been o ff e r i n g u p J a p a n e s e g o o d s t o To ro n tonians for 50 years.
H
T h e m o s t re m a r k a b l e f e a t u re o f S a n k o i s t h a t i t i s a p u re l y J a p a n e s e s u p e rmarket conveniently located right in t h e d o w n t o w n c o re . T h e l a y o u t o f t h e s t o re re s e m b l e s g ro c e r y s t o re s o f t h e g o o d o l d d a y s , e v o k i n g J a p a n ’s S h o w a (昭和) period (1926–1989), and once you step inside you will be fascinated t o s e e a g re a t v a r i e t y o f s a u c e s , noodles, teas and snacks. Both dry g o o d s a n d f re s h i n g re d i e n t s a b o u n d a t S a n k o , a n d re a d y - m a d e s u s h i a n d r i c e b a l l s ( o n i g i r i ) c a n b e f o u n d h e re t o o . Sanko also sells a collection of Japanese dishware, knives and magazines. Without a doubt, it is a little paradise for all
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l o v e r s o f J a p a n e s e c u l t u re a n d f o o d . T h e c u r re n t o w n e r, S t e v e M i z u n o , s a t d o w n w i t h u s t o s h a re s o m e o f S a n k o ’s amazing history. This family-run grocery s t o re h a s b e e n o p e n s i n c e 1 9 6 8 . I t w a s originally located near Spadina and D u n d a s , b u t i t m o v e d t o i t s c u r re n t l o c a t i o n a t Q u e e n We s t a n d C l a re m o n t about 30 years ago. T h e J a p a n e s e c o m m u n i t y i n To r o n t o was much smaller during the 1960s and 1970s, and Sanko played a big role in creating a sense of home for Japanese-Canadians. And it also played a significant part in sharing and popularizing Japanese food with To r o n t o n i a n s . W i l l i a m M i z u n o , S t e v e ’s father and the first owner of Sanko, was born and raised in Japan, but always had a dream of introducing Japanese culture abroad. It is hard t o i m a g i n e i n t o d a y ’s multicultural Toronto, but when W illiam a r r i v e d i n t h e city in the late ’60s, Japanese food was still unfamiliar to many residents. B u t t h e M i z u n o f a m i l y ’s p a s s i o n a n d
hard work through their store led to the spread of a real understanding of J a p a n e s e f o o d a n d c u l t u r e i n To r o n t o . To d a y, S a n k o i s v i s i t e d n o t o n l y b y people in Toronto’s Japanese community, b u t b y a n i n c re d i b l e v a r i e t y o f v i s i t o r s seeking Japanese goods. Be they chefs, neighbours or travellers—a n y o n e can have fun digging through the wide selection of products that Sanko has t o o f f e r. Yo u c a n v i s i t t h e s t o r e y o u r s e l f t o become part of the long history of J a p a n e s e c u l t u r e i n To r o n t o !
Sanko Trading Co. 7 3 0 Q u e e n S t . W. , To ro n t o 4 1 6 - 7 0 3 - 4 5 5 0 | t o ro n t o - s a n k o . c o m 67,5! 4VU HT¶ WT ;\LZ JSVZLK >LK¶:H[ HT¶ WT :\U HT¶ WT
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anabusa’s Don’t misasndH rewarding ex pl com voured sauces. tea-fla
Souffle combinapancakes are a experientcion that need tdreamy o ed to be believed!be
Staff Nicho
las Jones
Nicholas lived in a tiny fishing village in Hokkaido from 200 9 to 2011. Ostensibly, he taught Eng lish, but he spent most of his tim e wrangling elementary students and frequenting their parents’ sush i restaurants. He is currently on a que st to find Toronto’s best karaage .
Authentic soufflé pancakes have arrived in Toronto
Swing by Hanabusa Café for some of the softest sweet treats you’ve tasted.
hough it serves the coffees and matcha lattés you’d expect from a Japanese café, Kensington Market’s recently opened Hanabusa Café brings something wholly new to the Toronto Japanese sweet scene: soufflé pancakes!
T
explaining how she experimented with pancake after pancake and compared notes with her sister (who is studying baking in Japan) before achieving the perfect recipe.
What, you ask, is a soufflé pancake? Why, just the most delightfully soft, airy dessert you could ever imagine. However, that airiness is pleasantly grounded by the “soufflé” part of the pancake, using eggs to impart a custard-like flavour and weight. This combination of pancake and soufflé gives a texture similar to a firm mousse.
To complement this delectable creation, Hanabusa garnishes all of its pancakes with blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream, then tops them with a selection of different sauces. The most popular option, crème brûlée, features three small pancakes stacked and smothered with a rich custard, capped with a shell of caramelized sugar to match its namesake.
Hanabusa’s version of this gastronomical wonder is the culmination of more than eight months of culinary trial and error by café coowner and head baker Hayley. Drawing on her engineering background, she approached the challenge with a strategy that was nothing short of scientific. “It was like lab work,” she laughs,
My favourite part, however, had to be the tea-based sauces. Though I’m always a bit wary of tea-flavoured desserts (with tea it’s tough to find that flavour sweet spot between bland and overpowering), I’m happy to report that Hanabusa has absolutely nailed its tea sauces.
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The matcha—which is a thinner, pourable sauce—is sweet, slightly smoky, and offers only the slimmest hint of an astringent note to balance the sweetness in it. The jasmine tea has a similar balance between sweet and astringent flavours (even carrying notes of matcha within it). It was probably my top pick, featuring Hanabusa’s thicker, more custard-like sauce with a luxurious, velvety texture. In addition to Hanabusa’s six regular versions of its soufflé pancake, every month it introduces a new, limited-edition flavour—like honey lemon or pineapple coconut. To discover what Hanabusa’s got up its sleeve for this month, check it out on Instagram, @hanabusacafe, or swing by the café!
Hanabusa Café 77 Kensington Ave., Toronto 647-350-8779 | www.hanabusacafe.com OPEN: Daily 11 am–6:30 pm
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