IBUKI Magazine Vol. 09 January & February 2011

Japanese Inspired Food and Lifestyle Magazine

いぶき

息吹

Euro-Japanese Cuisine & Sweets Restaurant Guide Recipes

Plus:

Travel Japan Inexpensive, innovative tour ideas Flavors of Culture Japan’s culinary heavyweights gather in Napa

FREE

January & February 2011 Vol.9 Seattle/Bellevue/Portland

2 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

CONTENTS

FEATURE 4

Euro-Japanese Cuisine

25

See Japan in 2011

Enter the exotic yet strangely familiar world of Western cuisine with a distinct Japanese twist. This is what many Japanese consider comfort food.

Check out the cherry blossoms, soak in a hot-springs bath, watch a festival and even trace your family tree with these fabulous tour ideas.

EAT & DRINK 13

Sake Story

14

Recipes

Hot sake is not bad sake. Some sake tastes great warmed just right on a cold winter day. Johnnie Stroud explains.

Spaghetti alle vongole, Japanese style Curry doria, a rice gratin dish

16

Restaurant Directory

22

Japan: Flavors of Culture

Our correspondent reports from a Japanese cuisine

extravaganza in Napa, California.

4

LIFESTYLE 19

i fart rainbow

20

Store & School Directory

28

Lifestyle

Movie: Detroit Metal City / Eco: Honda EV-neo Fashion: Miki House / DRINK: NAGOMI Cocktail Anime Kokuriko-Zaka Kara /

30

Local News and Events

Mutual Fish Co. keeps Seattle stocked with seafood.

22

IBUKI Magazine Vol. 09 January & February 2011 Publisher Misa Murohashi English Cartier Editor-in-Chief Bruce Rutledge Editor and Translator Yuko Enomoto Editor Jessica Sattell

Contributing Writers & Artists Enfu (Ken Taya) Johnnie Stroud (SakĂŠ Nomi) Jay Friedman Julian Waters Special Thanks Chin Music Press

Comments and general inquiries info@ibukimagazine.com Advertising Info advertise@ibukimagazine.com Become our fan on Facebook

Published by Axia Media Group, Inc. Bellevue, WA 98005 www.ibukimagazine.com 3

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Euro-Japanese cuisine

Western Food with an Eastern Twist

Euro-Japanese cuisine is both familiar and exotic

By Bruce Rutledge

A

sk a Japanese friend what his or her favorite comfort food is, and you may be in for a surprise. For many Japanese, their version of chicken noodle soup is not something traditionally Japanese such as sushi or yakitori — it’s more likely to be a dish that falls under the yoshoku, or Euro-Japanese, category: omu-rice, an omelet atop a heaping pile of rice and ketchup; hamburger steak that melts in your mouth; curry-pan, a pastry filled with curry; or hayashi rice, hashed beef in a demi-glace sauce over a bed of rice, to name just a few.

The Japanese fascination with Western food dates back to the dawn of the Meiji Era in the late 1860s. The country was opening to the West, and becoming familiar with Western food was part of that process. Soon port cities such as Yokohama and Kobe had popular cafes and eateries that served “Western” dishes. And before long, those Western dishes had become a standard part of the Japanese diet.

Today, a child growing up in Japan will be as familiar with Japanese-style curry rice as he or she is with a grilled fish, grated daikon and soy sauce.

For Americans, yoshoku can be as much of an adventure as standard Japanese cuisine. It’s a bit like seeing your meal through the reflection of a funhouse mirror or listening to Jimi Hendrix play “The Star-Spangled Banner.” There’s something familiar about it all, and at the same time, there’s something exotic.

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Take the gourmet yoshoku cuisine created by Chef Shinichi Nakagawa at the Mukilteo restaurant Café Soleil. Nakagawa’s demi-glace sauce is made from scratch. He always retains some of the original sauce, so that, as his restaurant ages, his sauce will become more deep and complex. “There are restaurants in Japan that are still developing sauces which began in the Meiji Era,” he says. The sauce changes ever so slightly from season to season and from year to year, keeping customers coming back to enjoy the subtle changes. That’s why the hamburger steak Chef Nakagawa creates is so much more than a patty flipped on a grill.

Euro-Japanese cuisine covers a wide array of foods – anything that started in the West and was adapted by the Japanese is included, from French-style crepes sold out of shacks on the streets of Tokyo and Osaka to pizza with corn and cuttlefish; from Fuji Bakery’s delectable brioche Japon (with sweet red beans, framboise sauce and a triangle of powdered sugar) to Fort St. George’s spaghetti tarako (cod roe).

The demand for yoshoku is growing in greater Seattle.

Japanese-style crepe shops have started to appear, and more are slated to open in 2011; Fuji Bakery opened its second shop in the International District this year; and local restaurants such as Mashiko, Issian and New Zen are beginning to add yoshoku favorites like curry rice to their menus. On the following pages, Ibuki presents a guide for you to begin enjoying Euro-Japanese cuisine around the Puget Sound.

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息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Euro-Japanese cuisine

Euro-Japanese Menu Omu-rice

This Euro-Japanese rice omelet combines fried rice, egg, a healthy dose of ketchup and often chicken. This is the stuff Japanese children gobble up at home or family restaurants. In a memorable scene from the hit movie Tampopo, a homeless man breaks into a kitchen with a hungry boy and whips up one of these rice omelets before the night watchman can catch him.

This is the ultimate comfort food, and probably takes a lot of Japanese people back to their childhood. Think chicken noodle soup.

At Cafe Soleil, omu-rice comes with ketchup (above) or hayashi sauce.

Curry-rice

Curry-rice, like this serving from New Zen Japanese restaurant, is hearty, affordable fare.

OK, so curry isn’t really a “Euro” dish, but curry and rice was introduced to Japan by the British via India in the Meiji Era (1868-1913). Japanese curry is distinct from Indian curry, and plenty of both types of curry are available across Japan. Japanese curry is typically chockful of vegetables and a choice of beef, chicken or pork.

It’s often served with pickled rakyo (Japanese shallots).

Hamburger steak

Think Salisbury steak, not hamburger. But don’t think Salisbury steak for too long, because the Euro-Japanese hamburger steak is another level of delicious. When done right, it combines beef, egg, onion and bread (panko) to create a mouthwatering and filling dish.

The hamburger steak is a staple of Japanese cuisine these days, and not all of them are done with the care the dish deserves, but in the greater Seattle area, Café Soleil makes one of the best hamburger steaks this Japan veteran has ever tasted. Get it with hayashi sauce on top. To die for.

Hamburger steak with a dollop of grated daikon radish at Fort St, George in the ID. 6 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

The doria at Fort St. George comes in bacon & mushroom and broccoli & mushroom combos.

Doria

Japan’s mac and cheese alternative, doria is baked fried rice topped with cheese. It can include all sorts of other ingredients. Fort St. George in the International District serves up two yummy options: bacon and mushroom, and broccoli and mushroom doria. Shrimp doria is another popular choice. Like many yoshoku dishes, doria is a familiar taste to the Western diner, and yet, it’s not quite like anything on a typical menu in the US.

Hayashi-rice

A bit like beef stroganoff, hayashi rice can be the ultimate gourmet meal when the demiglace sauce is prepared from scratch or a hearty, relatively easy dish to make when using the ready-made roux blocks for the sauce. The demi-glace sauce is made from a tomato base and beef stock, and sometimes red wine. Add beef, onions and mushrooms, and you have a fortifying sauce to serve aside white rice.

Omu-rice at Cafe Soleil is also served with hayashi sauce as a topping.

Curry-pan

Curry is also part of a popular snack in Japan called curry-pan. “Pan” means bread in Japanese. Curry-pan is bread wrapped around a curry filling and sprinkled with panko bread crumbs, then baked to a golden brown. At Fuji Bakery, you can find sweet and savory versions of this Japanese staple. It makes a great lunch on the run, too.

Curry-pan at Fuji Bakery makes a great snack or a lunch on the run.

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SAVORY Hamburger steak at Café Soleil

Cafe Soleil 9999 Harbour Pl # 105, Mukilteo | (425) 493-1847

Café Soleil’ s original garlic edamame

This is one of those hidden gems that make you feel like Roberto Benigni in Down by Law when, in the middle of Louisiana swamp country, he finds a lovely Italian bistro. Café Soleil isn’t in the swamps – it’s in Mukilteo. But it is just as delightful a find as Benigni’s bistro because it’s such an unlikely spot to find a gourmet Euro-Japanese restaurant. Chef Nakagawa works his artistry in an open kitchen and his wife delivers the plates to the table, giving Café Soleil a distinct family atmosphere.

The menu is a Japanophile’s dream: hamburger steak that melts in your mouth, hayashi rice with a rich, complex sauce, Café Soleil originals such as garlic edamame (you’ll be licking the plate clean), fluffy omuPoutine with curry rice that butterflies open over the rice as Chef Nakagawa sliced the and mozzarella cheese omelet for us, poutine with curry and mozzarella cheese and seasonal desserts like the sweet potato and chestnut sundae that are simply inspirational in their blend of flavors and textures. “Cuisine is about feeling,” says the chef. “If it’s not just right, we don’t send the dish to the customer. We try again.”

This unassuming little restaurant is the place for the ultimate EuroJapanese experience. In fact, this is better Euro-Japanese fare than you’re likely to find in Japan, unless you hunt down the true gourmet yoshoku restaurants. It may be a bit of a drive from Seattle or Bellevue, but Café Soleil is worth it.

Sweet potato and chestnut sundae Fluffy omu-rice that butterflies open over the rice

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Fort St. George 601 S King St # 202 Seattle | (206) 382-0662 This International District mainstay has been serving yoshoku dishes such as ketchup-flavored fried rice, bacon and mushroom doria (baked rice and cheese) and tarako spaghetti for nearly 20 years.

Owner Ikuko Maekawa says her late husband’s favorite bar in the UK was called Fort St. George. But now the Japanese community in Seattle associates the name with comfort food served in an unpretentious, friendly environment. The food here is inexpensive, quick and fortifying. Families and friends gather in the dining room (it feels like a big living room at times), and in the evening, the full bar fills up with locals drinking cocktails or sipping sake.

Fort St. George started as a manga kissa, or a coffee shop where people hung out and read manga comic books all day. It still retains the laid back air of its early days. Next time you’re in the ID and looking for a Japanese meal, try Fort St. George and see why so many locals call their dishes comfort food.

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SWEET UniCone Crepes

One of the most popular crepes at Unicone in Southcenter is the Green Tea Ice Strawberry Anko Whip (right). The consistency of the crepe is just right to enhance this tasty treat

2800 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila

Unicone is just below the food court.

Sometimes people line the 2F balcony to watch them make their crepes.

A Japanese crepe stand in the most unlikely of places – by an entrance of the Southcenter Mall – serves sweet and savory crepes just like the ones found on the streets of Harajuku or Dotonbori in Japan. UniCone Crepes, run by Chris Beyeler and Yumu Steinman, offers 50-plus varieties of crepes, from irresistible desserts such as the banana custard maple crepe (“the custard is homemade,” Chris says) to a new lunch choice, the teriyaki Caesar. Even the plastic food samples were brought directly from Japan, says Yumu, who studied Japanese crepe-making in Kyoto before starting this Seattle venture.

“French crepes are fork-and-knife food,” says Yumu, “But Japanese crepes are fun food to grab and go.” Yumu even offers customers a little plastic envelope to put the crepe in if they want to eat it later.

Tokyo Sweets 2675 NE Village Lane Buld. 11, Seattle If you don’t live near Southcenter, don’t despair.

Residents of Seattle’s north side can get their Japanese crepe fix at Tokyo Sweets in University Village. The crepe stand, which is attached to Boom Noodle, offers delicious combos like banana and nutella or yuzu lemon with granulated sugar and whipped cream as well as savory fare. Derek Sakamoto presides over Tokyo Sweets. He noticed while studying in Japan that “even in Tokyo, you have to choose a featured crepe and sometimes that isn’t what you want,” so he added a build-your-own-crepe option at Tokyo Sweets. But for my money, the miso caramel apple is tops. The miso taste adds just a slight savory hint to the caramel, and it combines with the crisp apples, crushed graham crackers and whipped cream for a unique and satisfying $5 dessert.

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Tokyo Sweets in University Village offers delicious desserts for just about $5.

Tokyo Sweets Discount coupon on page 7 !!

Fuji Bakery The bakeries of Japan are one of its culinary hidden treasures. Visitors may not be aware of the rich tradition Japanese patisserie chefs have of learning from the French and then adding their own twist. Chef Taka Hirai has brought that tradition to Bellevue and the International District with Fuji Bakery. At the Bellevue store, where the baking is done, the aroma of fresh bread fills the air. Exquisite baked goods line the shelves: glistening curry-pan (curry-filled pastry); mouthwatering brioches; and the baton chocolat, a petite baquette with thin strips of chocolate and almond. The presentation is exquisite, and the taste is too.

The loaves of bread on sale at Fuji Bakery known as shoku-pan are made with much less yeast than typical American bread, Hirai explains, so they take a full night to rise. The result is a bread with a rich and complex taste that is tasty even without butter.

Chef Hirai’s recommendation is the levain bread made with homemade natural yeast. It has a chewy texture that results from fermenting the dough at a low temperature for a long time. Try it once, and it’s likely to become a habit.

The bakery has also started unveiling a line of scrumptious cakes made

by Chef Osawa, who studied in France under Laurent Duchêne. Many of the cakes and tarts created by Osawa are little works of art that cost less than $5 such as the tart chocolat framboise, a creamy cheesecake called Sunflower that has a hint of anise to it, the chi bouste caramel and the fondant chocolat.

Fondant chocolat ($2.50, left), baton chocolat ($2.50, middle) and Sunflower creamy cheese cake ($4.00, right).

Fuji’s levain offerings include savory items with olive and sundried tomatoes as well as sweet selections with a hint of fig.

The perfect complement to a glass of wine: French quiche with smoked salmon & pumpkin or prawns and curry sauce.

French-style croissants and kouign amann

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息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Euro-Japanese cuisine

... AND MORE

T Issian’s tempura curry

Hamburger steak at New Zen Japanese Restaurant

Setsuko’s rare cheesecake

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here are not many restaurants specializing in Euro-Japanese cuisine in the Seattle area. But Japanese restaurants have been adding EuroJapanese selections to their menus.

At Mashiko (4725 California SW, Seattle) in West Seattle, curry-rice is served exactly as it should be. The hearty curry is made from scratch using chicken stock and comes replete with crisp green beans, carrots, onions, tofu, broccoli and – for the big appetites – thick slabs of breaded pork (ask for the katsu-curry). Issian Japanese Stonegrill (1618 N 45th St, Seattle) has a wide selection of curryrice for weekend lunches: mushroom curry, sukiyaki curry, seafood curry, gyoza (potsticker) curry and more. Big appetites should try the tempura curry (pictured on the left). The crunchy tempura and the rich curry sauce complement each other.

In Green Lake, Aloha Ramen (8102 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle) serves hearty Hawaiian curry. Satsuna Japanese Restaurant & Bar has healthy curryrice that comes with lots of vegetables. New Zen Japanese Restaurant (10720 SE Carr Rd., Renton) has beef curry, cutlet curry, hamburger steak and different kinds of cutlet dishes. New Zen doesn’t skimp on the ingredients, either; the beef curry has big chunks of beef. In Bellevue, the famous ramen restaurant Dozo Cafe (3720 Factoria Blvd., Bellevue) has an extensive Euro-Japanese menu including omu-rice, curry-rice and Japanese style spaghetti.

Kiku-sushi (15555 Northeast 24th St., Bellevue), located next to Uwajimaya Bellevue, offers delicious cutlet curry. In Portland, try the curry specialty restaurant Kale Ultimate Japanese Comfort Food (1628 SW Jefferson St., Portland).

And don’t forget about dessert. Cakes from Setsuko Pastry (www.setsukopastry.com) are available at Issian Japanese Stonegrill, Kozue Japanese Restaurant (1608 North 45th St., Seattle). Hiroki Specialty Desserts (2224 North 56th St., Seattle) are very popular among Green Lake locals. Fumie’s Gold (10045 NE 1st St. Ste. CU2), near the Bellevue downtown park, has a great reputation for customized birthday cakes.This is far from a comprehensive list. Ask your favorite Japanese restaurant if they have yoshoku dishes. You may find your own Euro-Japanese favorites.

SAKE

酒呑

Saké Serving Temperature: Some Like it Hot!

By Johnnie Stroud, owner of Saké Nomi

A common, often repeated misconception about saké serving temperature is that “all bad saké is served hot and all good saké is served chilled.” Like most everything else in the saké world, it’s not that simple, but this kind of thinking is understandable, since many restaurants serve a lower grade “house” saké very hot. As a visiting brewer from Japan once intimated (with a cringe), most Japanese restaurants in the U.S. heat their saké hotter than their miso soup!

While a lot of folks think saké is traditionally served warm, others are of the opinion that the saké is heated to hide “flaws.” To a degree, both these opinions have some merit. The custom of heating saké in Japan actually originated in China and was tied to the belief that it was healthier to take food and drink warm, at a temperature close to one’s body temperature. Back before rice milling technology was very advanced, the saké was a lot less refined than it is today, and warming it up certainly took some of the rough edges off. Warming the saké was very much the norm, and many saké pubs employed a person whose sole duty it was to warm the saké and to know each “regular” customer’s preferred temperature.

While it’s true that we suggest most premium saké be served slightly chilled, all saké show different qualities at different temperatures, and there’s no denying the pleasant warming sensation of gently heated saké warmed to just the right temperature. There are lots of qualifiers when heating saké. Not all saké are suited to warming, so the combination of the right saké correctly warmed to the right temperature can be tricky. Because they are brewed with rice that is not as highly milled as the other premium grades and can be a little heartier and sturdier, slightly sweet futsu-shu (“regular”), honjozo and junmai grades often make the best candidates for warming.

When warming saké, the biggest mistake to avoid is making the saké so hot that you lose all the flavors and aromas that the brewers worked so hard to cultivate during the saké’s long, cold fermentation.

At home, you can use a microwave oven to heat your saké. However, it can be difficult to heat it evenly using this method. Though it takes more time, it’s probably better and gentler on the saké to heat a ceramic tokkuri, or decanter of saké, in a pan of hot water on the stove.

At Saké Nomi, we take the guesswork out of the wonderful seasonal treat that is kanzake (“warm saké”) by handpicking saké we think are well-suited to warming. And to ensure that we bring it to the correct temperature, we use a kansuke, a special machine (a kind of hot water “bath”), imported from Japan, made exclusively for the purpose of heating saké.

Johnnie Stroud, is the owner of Saké Nomi, the saké shop and tasting bar in Pioneer Square.

Saké Nomi | 76 South Washington Street, Seattle | Tel 206-467-SAKE

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Try Euro-Japanese cooking

Spaghetti alle vongole — Japanese style In Japan, you will find a variety of soy-sauce-flavored Japanese-style spaghetti dishes. Tarako (salted roe) spaghetti and natto (fermented soy beans) spaghetti are typical. But if they sound too adventurous for you, try this soy sauce and sake flavored vongole.

Ingredients (2 servings) 1/3 pound of dried uncooked spaghetti 1 pound Manila clams, washed and cleaned 1 package of enoki mushroom 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 2 tbs butter 1 tbs soy sauce 1/2 cup sake 2 tbs green onions (or shiso leaves), chopped Salt and pepper (optional)

Directions

Kanpai with sparkling sake << Gekkeikan’s Zipang is smooth-drinking naturally carbonated sake. This dry sparkling sake goes great with curry, Japanese style pasta and other yoshoku cuisine. It will makes an exotic substitute for champagne.

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1. Rinse enoki mushrooms thoroughly and cut off bottoms of stems.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti al dente according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add chopped garlic.

4. Add clams and sake. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for about 3 minutes or until the clam shells open, which means the clams are cooked.

5. Add enoki mushrooms and cook until they are softened.

Add cooked spaghetti and soy sauce. Flavor with salt and pepper if needed. Mix all ingredients.

6. Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with green onions or shiso leaves.

RECIPE

Curry doria — rice gratin Doria, rice gratin with white sauce, is another popular Euro-Japanese dish. The term “doria” comes from French cooking. Here we introduce an easy and quick recipe with Kikkoman’s ready-to-eat Ginza Classic Curry™ Sauce. Enjoy the rich flavor of the combination of curry and doria.

Ingredients (1 serving) 1/2 can of Kikkoman Ginza Classic Curry Sauce 1 tbs Kikkoman Bread Crumbs (Panko) 1 cup rice cooked 1 tbs butter 2 tbs Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup shredded cheese 1 egg 1 tsp parsley (optional)

Directions

Foodie’s tip The egg doesn’t need to be entirely cooked. It will continue to cook on the table with the heat of the plate and other ingredients. Mix it in the rice and the spicy sauce. Try this with your favorite mac & cheese recipe too!

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a micro-safe dish, place rice and half of the curry sauce, cover with a lid and then heat in microwave on high for 1 minute.

3. Add butter and Parmesan cheese and mix well.

4. Cover with remaining curry, top with shredded cheese and panko, and then place egg on top.

5. Bake the dish for about 15 minutes, or until the egg is half cooked.

6. Top with parsley for color.



Check out more recipes online

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Ginza Classic Curry Sauce

い し おい tm

Ready-made curry sauce Just heat and pour over rice 2 Hearty Servings No added MSG www.kikkomanusa.com

On sale at Japanese and Asian Grocery stores www.ibukimagazine.com 15

Restaurant Directory SEATTLE Greater Seattle Mashiko Japanese Restaurant (206) 935-4339 4725 California Ave SW, Seattle Check out sushiwhore.com You’ll like it.

Wann Japanese Izakaya (206) 441-5637 2020 2nd Ave, Seattle www.wann-izakaya.com

Kushibar

(206) 448-2488 2319 2nd Ave, Seattle www.kushibar.com

Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant (206) 443-9844 2401 2nd Ave, Seattle www.shiros.com

Issian

(206) 632-7010 1618 N 45th St, Seattle www.issian-seattle.com

Maekawa Bar

(206) 622-0634 601 S King St # 206,Seattle

Fort St. George

(206) 382-0662 601 S King St # 202, Seattle

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Aloha Ramen (206) 838-3837 8102 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle Aoki Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar (206) 324-3633 621 Broadway E, Seattle Blue C Sushi - University Village (206) 525-4601 4601 26th Ave NE, Seattle Blue C Sushi - Fremont (206) 633-3411 3411 Fremont Ave N, Seattle Blue C Sushi - 7th avenue (206) 467-4022 1510 7th Ave, Seattle Boom Noodle, Capitol Hill (206) 701-9130 1121 E Pike St, Seattle Bush Garden Restaurant (206)682-6830 614 Maynard Avenue S., Seattle Cutting Board (206) 767-8075 5503 Airport Way S, Seattle Chiso (206) 632-3430 3520 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle Fuji Sushi (206) 624-1201 520 S Main St, Seattle Genki Sushi - Queen Anne (206) 453-3881 500 Mercer St. Unit C-2, 2B, Seattle Genki Sushi - Capitol Hill ((206) 257-4418 1620 Broadway, Seattle Hana Restaurant (206) 328-1187 219 Broadway E, Seattle Hiroshi’s Restaurant (206) 726-4966 2501 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle I Love Sushi - Lake Union 206-625-9604 1001 Fairview Ave N, Seattle Imo Asian Bistro (206) 264-9570 704 1st Ave, Seattle

Japonessa Sushi Cocina (206) 971-7979 1400 1st Ave, Seattle J Sushi (206) 287-9000 674 S Weller St, Seattle Kaname Izakaya Shochu Bar (206) 682-1828 610 S Jackson St, Seeattle Kisaku (206) 545-9050 2101 N. 55th St. #100, Seattle Kozue Japanese Restaurant (206) 547-2008 1608 N 45th St, Seattle Maneki (206) 622-2631 304 6th Ave S, Seattle Marinepolis Sushi Land -Queen Anne Hill (206) 267-7621 803 5th Ave N, Seattle Moshi Moshi Sushi (206) 971-7424 5324 Ballard Avenue, Seattle Nishino (206) 322-5800 3130 E Madison St # 106, Seattle Nijo (206) 340-8880 89 Spring St, Seattle Ototo Sushi (206) 691-3838 7 Boston St, Seattle Red Fin Sushi Restaurant (206) 441-4340 612 Stewart St, Seattle Ricenroll - Madison Street (206) 262-0381 214 Madison St, Seattle Ricenroll - Rainier (206) 329-2223 828 Rainier ave. S, Seattle Samurai Noodle - University District (206) 547-1774 4138 University Way NE, Seattle Shiki Japanese Restaurant (206) 281-1352 4W Roy St, Seattle

Shun Japanese Cuisine (206) 522-2200 5101 NE 25th Ave #11, Seattle Tsukushinbo (206) 467-4004 515 S Main St, Seattle Toyoda Sushi (206) 367-7972 12543 Lake City Way, Seattle Wabi-Sabi Sushi Bar & Restaurant (206) 721-0212 4909 Rainier Ave S, Seattle

South End

Eastside

New Zen Japanese Restaurant

Dozo Cafe

North End Cafe Soleil

(206) 575-6815 16820 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila www.miyabirestaurant.com

(425) 493-1847 9999 Harbour Place # 105, Mukilteo www.cafe-soleil.net Bluefin Sushi & Seafood Buffet (206) 367-0115 401 NE Northgate Way # 463, Seattle Blue C Sushi - the Village at Alderwood Mall (425) 329-3596 3000 184th St SW, Lynnwood Edina Sushi (425) 776-8068 19720 44th Ave W, Lynnwood Marinepolis Sushi Land -Lynnwood (425) 275-9022 18500 33rd Ave NW, Lynnwood Matsu Sushi (425) 771-3368 19505 44th Ave W #K, Lynnwood Sakuma Japanese Restaurant (425) 347-3063 10924 Mukilteo Speedway # G, Mukilteo Setsuna Japanese Restaurant and Bar (206) 417-3175 11204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle Taka Sushi (425) 778-1689 18904 Hwy 99 Suite A, Lynnwood Tengu Sushi (206) 525-9999 301 NE 103 St, Seattle

(425) 254-1599 10720 SE Carr Rd, Japanese Fami Res -Family Restaurant www.newzensushi.com

Miyabi Restaurant

Blue C Sushi - Westfield Southcenter (206) 277-8744 468 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila Blossom Asian Bistro (425) 430-1610 305 Burnett Avenue South, Renton Marinepolis Sushi Land -Southcenter Mall (206) 816-3280 100 Andover Park West 160, Tukwila Bistro Satsuma (253) 858-5151 5315 Point Fosdick Dr NW #A, Gig Harbor Daimonji Sushi & Grill (425) 430-1610 5963 Corson Ave S, Suite 194, Seattle Genki Sushi -Renton (425) 277-1050 365 S. Grady Way Ste. B & C, Renton

(425) 644-8899 3720 Factoria Blvd SE Try authentic Ramen. No MSG.

Rikki Rikki Japanese Restaurant (425) 828-0707 442 Parkplace Center, Kirkland www.rikkirikki.com Blue Ginger Korean Grill & Sushi (425) 746-1222 14045 NE 20th St, Bellevue Flo Japanese Sushi Restaurant (425) 453-4005 1188 106th Ave NE, Bellevue Ginza Japanese Restaurant (425) 709-7072 103 102nd Ave SE, Bellevue I Love Sushi -One Lake Bellevue (425) 455-9090 23 Lake Bellevue Dr, Bellevue I Love Sushi -Bellevue Main (425) 454-5706 11818 NE 8th St, Bellevue I Sushi (425) 313.7378 1802 12th Ave NW, Suite F, Issaquah

Freelance writers wanted IBUKI Magazine is looking for freelance writers. The writer needs to be a native English speaker and have knowledge about Japanese culture and cuisine. If you are interested, please send your resume to info@ibukimagazine.com

www.ibukimagazine.com 17

Restaurant Directory Izakaya Sushi - at The Landing (425) 228-2800 829 N 10th St. Suite G, Renton Izumi Japanese Restaurant with Sushi-Bar (425) 821-1959 12539 116th Ave N.E., Kirkland Kobe Wellbeing Tonkatsu & Tao Sushi Bar (425) 451-3888 850 110th Ave NE, Bellevue Kikuya Restaurant (425) 881-8771 8105 161st Ave NE, Redmond Kiku Sushi (425) 644-2358 15555 NE 24th St, Bellevue Marinepolis Sushi Land -Bellevue (425) 455-2793 138 107th Ave. NE, Bellevue Marinepolis Sushi Land -Redmond (425) 284-2587 8910 161st Ave NE, Redmond Sushi Maru (425) 453-0100 205 105th Ave, Bellevue Sushi Me (425) 644-9800 1299 156th Ave NE #145, Bellevue Momoya Restaurant (425) 889-9020 12100 NE 85th St, Kirkland Ricenroll - Bellevue Square (425) 455-4866 2039 Bellevue Square 2nd fl, Bellevue Ricenroll - Issaquah Highland (425) 369-8445 1052 Park Dr. Issaquah Ricenroll - Alertson on Mercer Island (206) 232 0244 2755 77th Ave. SE, Mercer Island Sushi Joa (206) 230-4120 2717 78th Ave SE, Mercer Island Tokyo Japanese Restaurent (425) 641-5691 3500 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue 2AM (425) 643-1888 14603 NE 20th St #4, Bellevue

PORTLAND Portland Bamboo Sushi (503) 232-5255 310 SE 28th Ave, Portland Biwa Restaurant (503) 239-8830 215 SE 9th Avenue, Portland Blue Fin Sushi (503) 274-7922 1988 SW Broadway, Portland Bush Garden (503) 226-7181 900 SW Morrison St, Portland Hiroshi Restaurant (503) 619-0559 926 NW 10th Ave, Portland Koji Osakaya -Downtown Portland (503) 294-1169 606 SW Broadway, Portland Koji Osakaya - Lloyd Place (503) 280-0992 1502 NE Weidler, Portland Marinepolis Sushi Land -Lloyd (503) 280-0300 1409 NE Weidler St, Portland Marinepolis Sushi Land -Pearl (503) 546-9933 138 NW 10th Ave, Portland Mika Sushi (503) 222-0699 1425 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland Yuki Sushi & Sake Bar (503) 525-8807 930 NW 23rd Ave, Portland

Beaverton / Hillsboro Hakatamon (503) 641-4613 10500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton Hanabi’s Izakaya Bistro & Bar (503) 646-1986 10053 SW Nimbus Ave, Beaverton Izakaya Kaiten Sushi (503) 643-2578 14605 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton

I love Sushi (503) 644-5252 3655 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton Koji Osakaya -Hillsboro (503) 629-1815 2215 NW Allie Ave, Hillsboro Marinepolis Sushi Land -Beaverton (503) 520-0257 4021 SW 117th Ave, Beaverton Syun Izakaya (503) 640-3131 209 NE Lincoln St, Hillsboro Sambi Japanese Restaurant (503) 296-0045 9230 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton Sushi & Maki (503) 648-4366 2401 NE Cornell Rd No. X, Hillsboro Yuki Sushi & Sake Bar (503) 430-5275 1335 NE Orenco Station Pkwy, Hillsboro

Vancouver WA Marinepolis Sushi Land -Vancouver (360) 883-3881 1401 SE 164th Ave, Vancouver

How to recieve a FREE business listing in our restaurant and business directory If you own a Japan-related store, restaurant or business, just offer Ibuki to your customers. For schools and other businesses that do not have retail space, subscribe to Ibuki for $24 per year and share our magazine with your students, customers and employees. You may upgrade your listing to include a picture and description for $54-$90.

Advertisement pricing starts at just $114 per issue for ads that run for two months.

Contact advertise@ibukimagazine.com for details.

UMAMI KUSHI - Yakitori Catering Catering service for private parties, special occasions, and festivals ご自宅でのパーティーやイベント会場へケータリングします！

手羽先 レバー ねぎま つくね エリンギ トウモロコシ ししとう 焼きおにぎり 他多種対応！

“it’s in the fire”

King Salmon Kobe Beef Prime Rib Clam Oyster Asparagus Tsukune Negima and MORE!!

www.Umamikushi.com | tel (206) 265-1923 | Chef Harold Fields 18 息吹 ibuki • JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

www.ibukimagazine.com 19

Business Directory Art & Furniture Kobo

Kobo at Higo (206) 381-3000 604 S Jackson St, Seattle Kobo Capitol Hill (206) 726-0704 814 E Roy, Seattle Shop & gallery featuring art, craft and design from Japan and the Northwest koboseattle.com

The Wing Luke Museum (206) 623-5124 719 South King Street, Seattle

Azuma Gallery (206) 622-5599 530 1st Ave S, Seattle Takumi Company (206) 622-2804 JapaneseCarpentry.com Carolyn Staley-Fine Japanese Prints (206) 621-1888 2003 Western Ave #107, Seattle Glenn Richards - Asian Furnishings & Antiques (206) 287-1877 964 Denny Way, Seattle Ming’s Asian Gallery - Seattle (206) 748-7889 519 6th Ave S, Seattle Ming’s Asian Gallery - Bellevue (425) 462-4008 10217 Main St, Bellevue The Cullom Gallery (206) 919-8278 603 S Main St, Seattle Shogun’s Gallery (503) 224-0328 1111 NW 23rd Ave, Portland

Fashion

Momo (206) 329-4736 600 S Jackson St, Seattle

TOKYO Japanese Lifestyle

Now 4 locations!

Southcenter Mall, Suite 1220

(206) 241-0219

Northgate Mall, Suite 740

(206) 363-3213

Tacoma Mall, Suite 616

(253) 475-5380

Capital Mall, Suite 334 (360) 943-5790

20 息吹 ibuki • JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

Bakery and Cafe UniCone Crepes

Zoka Coffee & Tea - Kirkland (206) 284-1830 129 Central Way, Kirkland Kitanda Brazilian Bakery & Espresso (425) 641-4413 15230 NE 24th St, Redmond Cortona Cafe (206) 327-9728 2425 E Union St, Seattle

(206) 243-6236 2800 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila Serving sweet and savory authentic Japanese crepes since 2007

Books, Games & Anime Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle

Setsuko Pastry

Southcenter Mall Store (206) 241-0219 633 Southcenter Mall, Suite 1220, Seattle Northgate Mall Store 401 NE Northgate Way, Suite 740, Seattle (206) 363-3213 Tacoma Mall Store 4502 S Steele St, Suite 616, Tacoma (253) 475-5380 Capital Mall Store 625 Black Lake Blvd, Suite 334, Olympia (360) 943-5790

(206) 816 0348 1618 N 45th St, Seattle A Healthy Alternative pastry with a Japanese spin www.setsukopastry.com

Fuji Bakery

Seattle Store (206) 623-4050 526 South King St Bellevue Store (425) 641-4050 1502 145the PL SE, Bellevue www.fujibakeryinc.com

Tokyo Sweets

Anime Raku

2675 NE Village Lane Buld. 11, Seattle www.tokyosweetsusa.com Fumie’s Gold (425) 223-5893 10045 Northeast 1st Street, Bellevue Hiroki Desserts (206) 547-4128 2224 N 56th St, Seattle Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee House (206) 515-4000 607 S Main St, Seattle Zoka Coffee & Tea - Greenlake (206) 545-4277 2200 North 56th St, Seattle Zoka Coffee & Tea - University (206) 527-0990 2901 NE Blakeley St, Seattle

(425) 454-0112 10627 NE 8th St, Bellevue www.anime-raku.com Anime Asylum (503) 284-6626 1009 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR Kinokuniya Book Store - Seattle (206) 587-2477 525 S Weller St, Seattle Kinokuniya Book Store - Beaverton (503) 641-6240 10500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton Pink Gorilla - International District (206) 264-2434 601 S King St, Seattle Pink Gorilla - University District (206) 547-5790 4341 University Ave NE, Seattle VIDEO HOP Downtown Store (206) 587-4037 601 S. King St. Suite#101, Seattle

E Z CHAIR BARBER 12121 Northup Way #210, Bellevue Tel: (425) 702-9900

Hair & Pedicure For Men Walk-ins Welcome!!

Sake

Saké Nomi (206) 467-7253 76 S Washington St, Seattle

General Store

Daiso Alderwood Mall (425) 673-1825 3000 184th St SW, # 398, Lynnwood Daiso West Lake Center (206) 625-0076 400 Pine St. #1005, Seattle Daiso International District 76 S Washington St, Seattle

Grocery Store Mutual Fish Company (206) 322-4368 2335 Rainier Ave S, Seattle www.mutualfish.com

Anzen Hiroshi’s (503) 233-5111 736 NE MLK Blvd, Portland H-Mart -Lynwood (425)776-0858 3301 184th Street Southwest, Lynnwood Seattle Uwajimaya (206) 624-6248 600 5th Avenue South, Seattle Bellevue Uwajimaya (425)747-9012 15555 NE 24th St. & Bel Red Rd., Bellevue Renton Uwajimaya (425) 277-1635 501 South Grady Way, Renton Beaverton Uwajimaya (503)643-4512 10500 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale HWY, Beaverton

Health and Beauty E Z Chair Barber Shop

(425) 702-9900 12121 Northup Way # 210, Bellevue Acupuncture Associates -Eastgate (425) 289-0188 15100 SE 38th St #305B, Bellevue Studio 904 Hair Salon (206) 232-3393 3041 78th Avenue SE, Mercer Island WellnessOne of Eastgate (425) 289-0092 15100 SE 38th St., Ste. 305B, Bellevue Hen Sen Herbs (206) 328-2828 13256 NE 20th St, Bellevue

Schools Cooking Hiroko Sugiyama Culinary Atelier (425) 836-4635 22207 NE 31st St, Sammamish NuCulinary (206) 932-3855 6523 California Ave SW, Seattle Satsuma Cooking School (206) 244-5151 17105 Ambaum Blvd S, Seattle Music School of Taiko (425) 785-8316 www.Japantaiko.com Japanese Floral Design Ikenobo Lake Washington Chapter (425) 803-3268 11832 NE 73rd St, Kirkland The Little Flower Station (425) 770-5888 www.thelittleflowerstation.com

Ikebana by Megumi

www.ikebanabymegumi.com

(425) 744-9751 Sogetsu contemporary school of ikebana Classes in home studio and around town Yushoryu Ikenobo (206) 723-4994 5548 Beason Ave. S.,Seattle Language Seattle Japanese Language School (206) 323-0250 1414 S Weller St, Seattle Martial Arts Seattle Kendo Kai (206) 721-1416 1610 S King St, Seattle Seattle Judo Dojo (206) 324-7080 1510 S Washington St, Seattle Seattle School of Aikido (206) 525-1955 3422 NE 55th St, Seattle Obukan Kendo Club (503) 443-2281 4130 SW 117th Ave. Suite 246, Beaverton Portland Aikikai (503) 274-2606 1623 NW Marshall, Portland Tea Ceremony Urasenke Foundation Seattle Branch (206) 328-6018 1700 N. Northlake Way #105, Seattle Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle Association (206)324-2829 1515 E. Yesler Way #304, Seattle

Mutual Fish Company - specialty store for fresh seafood by Misa Murohashi

M

utual Fish Co. is a retail/wholesale seafood store located a few minutes from International District. Once you walk into this specialty store, you will find colorful piles of seafood and be amazed by the extreme variety of offerings. The company carries many types of whole salmon, live oysters and clams, as well as yellowfin tuna, halibut, lobster, Dungeness crab, smelt, catfish, swordfish, yellowtail, tako, squid, uni, ikura, tai snapper and more. It made my mouth water just walking through the store.

Founded by Dick Yoshimura in 1947, Mutual Fish has been operated by his son Harry and grandson Kevin. Store regulars include local foodies and top chefs. “Mutual leads the gourmet restaurant industry,” as mentioned by Tom Douglas . This family owned business enriches Seattle’s seafood dining experience. In addition to fresh and live seafood, Mutual Fish also sells custom seafood products such as kasuzuke, satsuma-age and smoked seafood.

When searching for quality seafood to prepare some of Ibuki’s recipes, I recommend that you stop by Mutual Fish Company.

Mutual Fish Company 2335 Rainier Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98144 Tel:(206)322-4368 http://www.mutualfish.com

www.ibukimagazine.com 21

Culinary Institute of America Puts Japan in the Spotlight

Flavors of Culture

Conference Brings Luminaries of Japanese Cuisine to Napa

By Jay Friedman When Team Japan took the stage to thunderous applause at the close of the 13th Annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival, I caught the eye of the only Caucasian in the contingent: Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen in Tokyo. Earlier in the event, he told the crowd in simple terms, “I make food I love and sell it to people — that’s a chef ’s job.”

The 39 Japanese chefs who traveled to the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa Valley campus joined other culinary experts to sell their love of Japanese food. It wasn’t a hard sell, as the nearly 800 attendees (other chefs, foodservice workers, suppliers and food writers from all over the country) ate it up — literally and figuratively — during the conference’s informational sessions, chef demos and Marketplace discovery tastings.

Photos: Terrance McCarthy, Courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America

About Japanese Cuisine

in food preparation. And vessels are important in food presentation.

While Michelin most recently awarded three-star ratings to 10 Paris restaurants, Tokyo stunned many by earning 11 in 2009 (as we go to publication, we’re learning that it’s 14 in the 2011 guide), and the newly released guide for the Kansai area (Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto) bestowed that honor to 12 restaurants. Japan actually ranked restaurants before Michelin guides even existed, using sumo terminology like yokozuna to denote the champion restaurant. Rankings help in a country with so many restaurants. Recent research showed that while New York City had 18,696 restaurants, Tokyo had 160,000.

Food is serious business in Japan, particularly seafood. Japan is smaller than California, but due to its coastal jaggedness, it has 50% more coastline than the entire United States. Japanese people tend to be aware of geography, relating it to the source of their food. Seasonality is important; with 24 divisions of seasons (two per month), a focus on seasonal shifts plays a part

Highlights from Talks and Tastings

22 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

Hiroshi Inomata, Japan’s consul general in San Francisco, kicked off the conference by saying, “Japanese cuisine is our culture.” We can certainly benefit from a bit more of that. Just as the Japanese borrowed from Chinese culture (tea, ramen, sushi, miso and the notion of kaiseki, for starters), we are clearly borrowing from Japan. For example, the number of Japanese restaurants in the United States doubled from 1996 to 2006.

Ruth Reichl walked through the history of Japanese food in the United States. She predicted that while umami is in the spotlight now, texture will be the next phenomenon. Americans consider only crunchiness as a desired texture, Reichl said, while the Japanese embrace many, “some (of which) are positively frightening to Americans.” Case in point is natto, the fermented soybeans that the Japanese call slippery, but we call slimy.

An ongoing message was that Japanese food appeals to all the senses. Chef

Kunio Tokuoka, third-generation owner of Kitcho, a three-star kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto, asserted that food presentation should be “visually arresting” to be inspirational.

Food scientist Harold McGee said flavor is complicated, mentioning sensations like the sound food makes, but arguing that aroma might be the foundation of taste. While the taste receptors on the tongue help determine the pleasure of an eating experience, the aroma receptors of the nose typically “taste” the food first. For three days, I continually inhaled the perfume of Japan: katsuobushi creating dashi, matsutake sautéing in a pan, yakitori grilling over hot coals.

Speaking of smells, I asked Momofuku’s David Chang and Iron Chef ’s Masaharu Morimoto about their most sexy food (hey, I’m a sex educator in addition to a food writer), and both talked about the alluring aroma of white truffles. Morimoto said they’re great in many dishes, while Chang specifically reminisced about a meal he ate in Milan featuring truffles from Alba.

Beyond those “American idols,” many Japanese culinary legends, young

and old alike, attended. Masayasu Yonemura, executive chef of his own namesake restaurant in Kyoto (awarded one Michelin star), showed off some modern Japanese dishes; his sea urchin with basil seed and wasabi was one of my favorites of the event.

Yousuke Imada, chef-owner at Kyubey, showed us a thing or two about sushi, as he’s been making it for 47 years. (He called wasabi the “finest condiment in the world,” especially when mixed with soy sauce.) Shirou Komaki, executive chef of the Osaka-based Sushiman with 21 locations and a 350-year history (he’s been with Sushiman for 45 years), demonstrated hako-zushi, impressing the audience with how fast he could flip and turn the box when making the special form of pressed sushi.

But the biggest ovation went to soba maker Yoshinori Horii. The eighth generation chef-owner of Sarashina Horii in Tokyo (founded in 1789, and now known as Horii), he thrilled the audience with his speed, endurance and precision in making soba noodles. Applying my limited Japanese, I struggled to say subarashii (splendid!) and oishii (delicious!) and gochisosawww.ibukimagazine.com 23

ma deshita (you were an honorable host, but more casually, thanks for the meal!) to him and others.

There were many humorous incidents at the conference. My favorite: Yoshiki Tsuji, president of the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, discussed the evolution of sushi as popular fast food in Japan. Using Powerpoint graphics, he explained how the original nigiri sushi (from the Edo period) was the size of an iPhone, then in more recent times went down to the size of an iPod, and in today’s recessionary times is likely to become the size of a tiny iPod shuffle.

On a more serious note, medical researcher Lawrence Kushi brought up one of the most challenging topics of the conference. (The event largely, and not surprisingly, avoided discussion of bluefin tuna, other than American-based chef Morimoto and one other person mentioning that the tuna in their demos was sustainable.) Kushi graphically illustrated the negative impact of the Westernization (and saltiness) of Japanese foods — but also talked about the health benefits (including longevity) of adhering to a more traditional Japanese diet.

Fermented foods (like natto, miso and soy sauce) play a role; cookbook author and Japanese cuisine authority Hiroko Shimbo pointed out that cooking by fire and water rather than fire and oil helps, and also outlined five Japanese concepts for better eating:

1. 腹八分 -Hara hachi bu

2.

3.

4.

5.

Eat until you are 80% full よく噛む -Yoku kamu1 Chew your food well 自然に感謝する -Shizen ni kansha suru Appreciate nature 毎日30品目 -Mainichi san-ju hinmoku Eat 30 food varieties every day 五感を使う -Gokan wo tsukau Use/stimulate all five senses

Tokuoka perhaps summed up best why Japanese food leads to longevity: “How good something tastes gives you the energy to live.”

A Local Perspective Chef Dean Shinegawa of Tulalip Resort Casino, who’s already accomplished and innovative, was clearly impressed, running up to me at one point marveling, “Did you see David Chang’s pork tenderloin katsuobushi? Amazing!”

(Agreed!) Later, I met Jean Nakayama, owner of Maneki, the James Beard award-winning restaurant that’s been around over 100 years, and asked her what she gets out of an event like this. “So much,” she said, “I can go up to the top chefs in Japan…the untouchables…I have access to them and can ask their secrets.”

The Japanese chefs who came to the Worlds of Flavor conference were all like Orkin: just doing their jobs, cooking what they love. By sharing their talent, they are shaping the future of food in Seattle and all of America.

Jay Friedman is a Seattle-based freelance food writ-

er. He writes regular features on sex and food for Edible Seattle and Seattle Weekly’s Voracious blog, and is co-author of the new Fearless Critic Seattle Restaurant Guide.

Photos: Terrance McCarthy, Courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America

24 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

Your New Year’s Resolution:

See Japan in 2011 TRAVEL : Special Edition

If you’ve been putting off that trip to Japan, procrastinate no longer. Prices are reasonable and tours are catering to more diverse requests than ever before, making 2011 a great time for a visit. Perhaps you’d like to soak in a hot-springs bath, visit the thriving cities of Osaka and Tokyo, climb a famous mountain or maybe trace your family tree? You can do all that and more with one of the many package tours and travel options featured here.

www.ibukimagazine.com 25

Japan Deluxe Tour Offers Comfortable, Fully Escorted Tours Japan Deluxe Tour offers a variety of fully escorted tours in addition to full travel agent services. If you are looking for comfortable, stress-free travel, you will enjoy these tours. “We are constantly striving to give our customers the best experiences of Japan and, through careful planning, to show some of the different faces of the country that help make this such a fascinating and amazing place to visit,” says Yuki Koguchi, manager at Travel Oriented.

She recommends the following tours for this spring season, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

Japan Deluxe Tour TEL: 1-888-496-5676 Website: www.japandeluxetour. com

Grand Tour of Japan (10 nights, 11 days) Dogo Onsen Honkan, a wooden public bathhouse. photo © JNTO

Ancestry Search Kyoto Mt. Fuji Himeji Hiroshima Nara Kobe Yamaguchi Osaka Fukuoka Takamatsu Beppu Matsuyama Kumamoto Nagasaki

©JNTO

The Grand Tour Japan provides a remarkably diverse tour at an affordable price. It’s the perfect trip for anyone wanting to see the best of Japan’s urban and rural extremes. Starting in Osaka, the tour will take you all around the southern half of Japan. On the second day, you will visit two cities on Shikoku island — Takamatsu and Matsuyama. At Matsuyama, you will visit Dogo Onsen Honkan, a wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894.

The bathhouse is said to have served as an inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s popular animated film Spirited Away. Beppu on Kyushu island is the next destination. Beppu is one of the most famous hot-springs resorts in Japan.

Tokyo

Do you have family ties to Japan? Do you want to trace your roots? Japan Deluxe Tour can show tour guests the places where their ancestors lived in Japan. Many of the villages of Japan remain fairly unchanged over the decades, and local temples and graveyards are open for visits. Locate your furusato, or hometown, and make the necessary arrangements to visit it before or after your tour.

After two days in Kyushu, the tour will take you to the Chubu area, where the main attraction is a visit to Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima. The shrine was built in 593 and is very famous for its floating torii gate. The tour then moves on to Kyoto and Nara. You will have a chance to visit the Iga Ninja Museum as well as most of the must-see spots in the ancient capitals. On the night of day eight, you will take a Shinkansen bullet train to the east. You will view Mt Fuji while you ride on the Lake Ashi Cruise and the Hakone Ropeway. The last two days of this grand tour are in Tokyo, where you will visit Tsukiji Fish Market, the Edo Tokyo Museum, Akihabara, Ginza and more.

On this tour, you will stay eight nights at Western-style hotels and two nights at a ryokan (Japanese-style hotel) with a hot-springs bath, or onsen.

Soak in one of these and you’ll see why the Japanese have been going to them for centuries to rejuvenate their mind and body.

Takayama Festival Tour (7 nights, 8 days) Takayama Festival photo © JNTO

©JNTO

One weekend every spring and autumn, one of Japan’s least known cultural treasures, Takayama, comes to life in a festival said to be one of the most beautiful in Japan. The main feature of this tour is the festival, or matsuri, which features an impressive parade of large floats decorated with thick curtains, lacquerware and mechanical dolls known as karakuri ningyo. The locals fill the streets decked out in their best kimono, creating a wonderfully festive atmosphere.

The tour also features a morning market where mountain vegetables, fruits and other local delicacies are on sale.

The tour then continues on to Kyoto, Mt. Fuji and Tokyo and includes a trip to Nagano, where you will visit Matsumoto Castle and stay in a Japanesestyle inn with a hot-springs bath.

26 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

Kanazawa

Kyoto Osaka

Shirakawago Takayama Suwa Mt. Fuji Hakonne

Tokyo

Create Your Own Adventure with Sankei Travel Sankei Travel offers full travel-agent services from hotel reservations and discount airfare to regional rail passes. It also has optional tours with Englishspeaking guides. “We are here to help you create your very own travel. We have extended options of half-day to two-day optional tours you can add on to your discount air ticket and hotel stays.The Japan rail pass is also popular,” explains Max Hattori, the man in charge of Sankei Travel’s Seattle office.

Hattori recommends the following tours for spring and summer.

Sankei Travel TEL: 1-800-801-4069 Website: www.sankeitravel.com Yakatabune (Traditional Party-Boat) Dinner Cruise

Edo Wonderland 1-Day Package Tour in Nikko

Japan Rail Pass

©JNTO

©JNTO

All aboard! A yakatabune, a Japanese party-boat, will take you to scenic spots on Tokyo Bay. Enjoy a tempura dinner and a sip of sake while this lantern-festooned boat cruises on Tokyo Bay. Take in the night view of Tokyo.

Enjoy a trip to the period of samurai and ninja at Edo Wonderland, located in Nikko, about 90 minutes from Tokyo by train.This package tour includes a costume rental fee, so you can return home with photographs of yourself as a ninja or samurai!

Kimono in Ginza

Challenge Mt. Fuji

©JNTO

Ginza is a Tokyo neighborhood known for posh shopping and dining. Enjoy strolling the city while wearing the ultimate in Japanese traditional attire — a kimono. Feel the culture through the beauty of a kimono. Hakubi Kyoto Kimono School, one of the largest and most prestigious kimono schools in Japan, will help you don the traditional outfit.

The Japan Rail Pass is a discount ticket allowing unlimited rail travel throughout Japan over a seven-, 14- or 21-day period. Because Japan Railways has 12,400 miles of track, it is possible to travel almost anywhere in the country by train. The Japan Rail Pass can provide you with convenience and great savings if used wisely.

©JNTO

Kamakura Walking Tour

©JNTO

Climb Japan’s most famous mountain, Mt. Fuji, and look down at the clouds below as the sun rises. The night climb culminates when you arrive at the peak before dawn. After you descend, soak your tired body in a hot-springs bath at a public bathhouse. The ultimate in relaxation after an invigorating climb!

©JNTO

Enjoy strolling around this special town. Kamakura, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, is only a one-hour train ride from Tokyo. Kamakura was the old capital of Japan. It may not be as well known as Kyoto, but it has much to offer. Visit the huge Great Buddha and Tsurugaoka Hamchimangu Shrine, which was first built in 1191.

www.ibukimagazine.com 27

Lifestyle

By Julian Waters

MOVIES FASHION PLACES & MORE

Movie Detroit Metal City

The new Toshio Lee film Detroit Metal City is a hilariously funny and quirky film revolving around Soichiro Negishi (Kenichi Matsuyama from the hugely popular Death Note series), a pure-hearted young man who is torn between his new job (lead singer of a death metal band) and his true calling (pop star aspirant).

Soichiro is a music obsessed young teen, relocated from the countryside to Tokyo.

After failing to garner success as a trendy hip pop star playing indie music, he answers an

ad in a flyer recruiting musicians and ends up as lead vocalist in a death metal band.

The band, complete with shocking vulgar performances and full makeup, is reminiscent of metal band KISS. Soichiro is adored by his heavy metal fans and achieves success in his new role, but he is utterly miserable.

While fulfilling his commitment as lead singer of the heavy metal band, Soichiro meets former sweetheart Yuri Aikawa (Rosa Kato), who despises heavy metal. The movie goes on to

reveal Soichiro’s very funny but woeful journey until the end when he finally faces off against world-renowned death metal vocalist “Jack IL Dark” (played by Gene Simmons of KISS) on the stage. Detroit Metal City is an entertaining movie with explicit commentary that is NOT suitable for young viewers. I enjoyed watching Detroit Metal City and think many viewers will too.

Photos © 2008 TOHO / HORIPRO / HAKUSENSHA / SME / DENTSU / d-rights / PARCO / SDP / TOKYO FM / Yahoo! Japan / NIPPAN / TSUTAYA Group. All Rights Reserved.

Fashion MIKI HOUSE opens in Downtown Bellevue

Photos © MIKI HOUSE USA

28 息吹 ibuki • JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

The stretch pants for toddlers is a big selling item at their New York store

Miki House is an upscale fashion and shoe brand for children headquartered in Osaka.

It has gained popularity and a loyal following for its cute prints and stitching since the company opened its first store in 1978 in Kyoto. Now, there are over 300 Miki House boutiques in Japan and 30 mono brand shops worldwide. Miki House operates flagship stores in the world’s fashion capitals including St. Honore in Paris and Via Montenapoleone in Milan. Miki House opened a store inside Bloomingdale’s New York City flagship store in August 2010 and recently opened a new boutique in Bellevue. The Bellevue store will be the first stand-alone Miki House boutique in the U.S. “As a mom, I love to bring smiles to children’s faces,” said Kate Kim, owner of the Bellevue store. “These clothes are not only fun and whimsical in design, they are also extremely comfortable for children to wear. I’m excited to introduce the Miki House brand to Bellevue.”

The store will be a new destination in Bellevue to look for high-fashion children’s clothing.

Miki House Bellevue is located at 1032 106th Ave. NE, Suite 123.

Eco Honda EV-NEO In December 2010, Honda Motor Co. began lease sales of the EV-neo electric scooter to businesses and individual business owners that mainly provide delivery services in Japan. Honda developed the EV-neo, an electric scooter designed to provide the durability necessary for commercial use, envisioning Photo © Honda Motor Co. a wide range of uses by businesses such as delivery services. Equipped with a lithium-ion battery and a brushless motor, EV-neo realizes excellent environmental performance with zero CO2 emissions in use. The battery is rechargeable using a household power source with attention given to the range per charge. Moreover, EV-neo provides performance equivalent to that of mass-market under-50cc gasoline engine motorcycles, realizing a powerful ride even with cargo by leveraging the characteristics of a high-torque motor even at a low speed.

Honda held the world premier exhibition of the EV-neo concept model (under the name EVE-neo) at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show showcased as one of Honda’s new-generation personal mobility products, which is supposed to contribute to the realization of a lowcarbon society while transporting people and cargo. The mass-market model of EV-neo is currently under development.

E ter o Colorn in ur to wing Contest for twotravel o JetBlu e Airwn ays!

Celebrate 2011 Year of the Rabbit www.wingluke.org/2011newyear

Famous rabbits: Jet Li, Hilary Duff, Albert Einstein, Brad Pitt and Confucius

719 S. King St. in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (206) 623-5124 Voted #1 Museum in KING 5’s The Best of Western Washington

DRINK NAGOMI Cocktail Base Recently released in North America, NAGOMI is a nonalcoholic cocktail base made by Mita Beverage Co. in Japan. There are seven exotic flavors: yuzu, macha, ginger, kyoho grapes, lychee, white peach and green apple. This writer’s favorite is simply mixing Sapporo beer (80%) and the yuzu flavor mix (20%), or hot sake (80%) and lychee (20%). Mita Beverage also recommends using this mix to make non-alcoholic drinks and desserts such as yuzu sorbet, ginger cupcakes and macha pudding. For business use, contact JFC International.

Photo © Mita Beverage Co.

ANIME Kokuriko-Zaka Kara Studio Ghibli announces latest movie ‘Kokuriko-Zaka Kara’ We’re fans of anything Ghibli here at IBUKI. So, you can imagine our delight when we received word that Studio Ghibli, has announced its next feature named Kokuriko-Zaka Kara. Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao will hold the reigns overseeing Kokuriko-Zaka Kara. Goro directed Shigeru Sugiura’s Gum-suke the Balloon in 2006 which was nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the year.

The film takes place in 1963 and tells the story of a high school girl, Umi Komatsuzaki, living in Yokohoma who is forced to quickly mature when her father the sailor goes missing. Kokuriko-Zaka Kara is slated for release in Japan in the summer of 2011. http://www.kokurikozaka.jp/ (Kokuriko zaka release info in Japanese) www.ibukimagazine.com 29

Local News and Events NEWS

EVENTS

Nikkei Concerns to rebuild a new garden

Nikkei Horizons winter 2011 classes

Nikkei Concerns, a nonprofit organization that provides elder-care services, announced a garden redesign project at its 35th anniversary gala event held on October 31. To date, the organization has raised $140,000 toward this effort. More fundraising will occur next year to offset costs for installation and materials. Landscape architecture design will be donated

by Scott Murase, principal of Murase Associates. This firm has worked on major projects for Benaroya Hall, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research, University of Washington, Nike World Headquarters in Oregon, the Japanese Historical Park in Portland and the Biotech Research Campus.

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.

Greeting cards with origami artwork

Tis the season: local Japanese restaurants serve nabe Japanese hotpot dishes, known as nabe, are typical winter meals for gatherings of friends and family. The ingredients simmer in the hotpot at your table while you talk and drink. Some local Japanese restaurants serve nabe in the traditional way during winter, cooking the meal at your table. Miyabi Sushi in Southcenter Mall has a winter Miyabi serves delicious yosenabe in the special nabe course that comes traditional way. Reservations required. with izakaya-style appetizers (reservations required).

In Belltown, both Kushibar and Wann Izakaya offer nabe sets for two people (remember that sharing a hotpot will bring you closer to your date!). Bush Garden restaurants in Seattle’s International District and in Portland are famous for their single-serving nabe at New Zen Japatraditional sukiyaki and shabunese Restaurant in Renton shabu. Many restaurants offer single-serving nabe as well. New Zen Japanese Restaurant in Renton has delicious single-serving yosenabe you can cook at your table. I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue has fukiyosenabe and tsukunenabe prepared in the kitchen. In most cases, restaurants offer nabe only during winter, so please call your favorite Japanese restaurant ahead and ask for more details. For addresses and phone numbers of restaurants, please check our restaurant directory on pages 16-18.

Correction In the November/December issue, the prices listed for the Hello Kitty tote bag and erasers sold by Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle were incorrect.

We apologize for the error. Visit Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle to check out Hello Kitty and other fun products.

30 息吹 ibuki •JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

When (and Themes):

Jan 25 (10am-12pm) - Two girl dolls with kimono Feb 8 (10am-12pm) - Hina Matsuri girl and boy Feb 22 (10am-12pm) - Kimono Fee: $10 per class / $25 for all three classes

Learn to make origami artwork to embellish greeting cards. You will use various rubber stamps to further decorate and customize your cards.

Healthy home cooking, black cod kasuzuke and more When: March 3, 10am-1pm | Fee: $35 Learn how to cook tara no kasuzuke (black cod marinated in sake lees and white miso), tori no tsukune with hijiki seaweed (grilled soft chicken dumplings), sunomono (vinegar vegetable dish).

Making Japanese sweets with Setsuko When: Febrary 28, 11am-1pm | Fee: $30 Learn yummy recipes for mushi manju — steamed Japanese pastries with azuki (sweet red bean paste) with local pastry chef Setsuko. * Nikkei Horizons offers more than 50 classes and workshops. All classes and workshops require pre-registration. Please see the schedule book at www.nikkeiconcerns.org or please contact the Nikkei Horizons manager at (206) 726-6469 or email NHinfo@NikkeiConcerns.org. *New Year Special! If you say “I saw it in Ibuki” when you register for winter quarter, the winter quarter registration fee will be waived.

Mochitsuki sticky rice-cake making event 15th Annual Japanese American New Year celebration When: January 30, 11am-4pm Where: Scottish Rite Center, 1512 SW Morrison St., Portland Fee: Advance tickets, $3-$7. At the door, $4-$9 Mochi is a sticky rice cake that symbolizes starting the New Year in Japan. Visitors to this event will see steamed rice pounded into mochi with huge mallets. Try mochi, ozoni (New Year’s soup with mochi) and taste locally made sake. Other attractions include a sushi train, curry, organic Japanese cuisine and hands-on activities like making cute and healthy bento for children. Three different stage shows will showcase classical Japanese dance, koto, taiko and J-pop. Tickets are available at boxofficetickets.com (800 494-8497), at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, 121 NW 2nd Ave. in Old Town, (503) 2241458 and Lyrik Cafe, 2035 SE 39th Ave. at Lincoln, Portland.

Celebrate 2011 Year of the Rabbit at Wing Luke Museum

Ikebana workshop at Kobo

Historic hotel & Chinatown discovery tours

Learn flower arrangement with Megumi Schacher

When: January 15 – March 31 Experience our Historic Hotel or Chinatown Discovery tours with a Lunar

When: January 9, 1-3pm Where: Kobo at Higo, 604 S Jackson St., Seattle Fee: $35 (includes all floral materials)

New Year twist. Learn about the customs, traditions and significance of Lunar New Year for our community. Call 206.623.5124 ext 133.

Megumi Schacher, a certified instructor of the Sogetsu School, hosts monthly Ikebana workshops at the Kobo gallery.

The Sogetsu School is characterized by its modern and artistic expression.

The theme for January is “Oshogatsu — New Year’s Day.” Class attendees will learn how to create glamorous arrangements for the Oshogatsu season, using seasonal flowers and mizuhiki, a thin cord decoration. Megumi also has weekly classes at her home studio in Lynwood, Swansons Nursery in Ballard, Rosehill Community Center in Mukilteo, as well as new classes at North Bellevue Community Center.

For more information, contact Megumi Shacher (425) 452-7681

Family Fun Day: Create nengajo with Mizu Sugimura When: January 15, 1-3pm Nengajo are New Year’s greetings card in Japan. Sansei artist Mizu Sugimura has assembled some easy and fun ideas which you and your family can use to make your own postcards using recycled materials found at home!

Happy lunar new year When: February 3, 1-3pm Come celebrate with us as we welcome the Year of the Rabbit with a lion dance performance and lunar New Year crafts and ac-

tivities.

Family Fun Day: Personalize red envelopes with Mizu Sugimura When: February 19, 1-3pm In Japan and many other parts of Asia, it is a New Year’s custom to give small gifts of money to children in special red envelopes. Inspired by this tradition, artist Mizu Sugimura will show you how today’s families can enjoy and personalize this custom with a new twist or two of our very own!

Year of the Rabbit Coloring Contest

Sake and Yakitori at Saké Nomi Join their monthly special When: January event date is TBD Where: Saké Nomi, 76 South Washington Street, Seattle, WA Fee: $60 for a variety of yakitori and sake selections Johnnie Stroud, owner of Saké Nomi, has teamed up with yakitori chef Harold Fields to host a monthly sake and yakitori paring event at his saké shop and tasting bar in Pioneer Square. “I always wanted to be able to offer my patrons good yakitori to pair with our premium sake”, says Johnnie. Chef Harold, owner of Umami Kushi Catering Service, uses his own yatai (street cart) style cooking equipment to cook delicious yakitori. For more information, contact Umami Kushi (206-265- 1923) or Saké Nomi (206-467-7253).

Enter Wing Luke Museum’s coloring contest to win travel for two on JetBlue Airways! For details and to print coloring page, visit www.wingluke.org/2011newyear.

All participants receive a free admission pass and small gift.

Wing Luke Museum 719 South King St in Seattle’s International District (206) 623.5124 www.wingluke.org

TOFU HARAJUKU OISHII SHOCHU YAKITORI UMAMI KUSHIYAKI TO

-con 2011

Sakura

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