IBUKI Magazine Vol. 11 May & June 2011

Japanese Inspired Food and Lifestyle Magazine

いぶき

息吹 Enjoying

The Northwest’s Bounty Making Healthy Choices, Finding Seasonal Fish at Peak Flavor, Sustainability, Where to Buy & Recipes Plus:

Pray For Japan “We will bounce back!”

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May & June 2011 Vol.www.ibukimagazine.com 11 Seattle/Bellevue/Portland1

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FEATURE 4

CONTENTS

Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty The waters of the Pacific Northwest teem with delicious and sustainable seafood. See what you should be eating and what you should avoid.

22

Pray For Japan After the devastating East Japan earthquake and tsunami, Tohoku girds for a massive rebuilding effort, and local businesses and people raise money to help the region.

EAT & DRINK 12

Recipes

12 12 13 14

16

Restaurant Directory

20

Sake

Salmon and Japanese Mushroom Salad SautĂŠed Smelt & Marinated Sweet Onion Have a Ball with Temari Sushi Dungeness Crab with Ponzu Dip

4

Support Tohoku Breweries: Raise a Glass

LIFESTYLE 15

Japanese Gardens in the Northwest

19

i fart rainbow

18

Store & School Directory

26

Travel

Japanese Catering Historic inns in Tohoku open their doors to those most in need.

27

30

Lifestyle

Fashion Anar Couture, Gadget Tokyoflash Car MAZDA3, Music Songs for Japan Book Banana Yoshimoto The Lake Photography Shadows of a Fleeting World

Local News and Events

22

IBUKI Magazine Vol. 11 May & June 2011 Publisher Misa Murohashi English Cartier Editor-in-Chief Bruce Rutledge Editor and Translator Yuko Enomoto Editor Jessica Sattell Photographer CC Yaguchi Mary Nagan

Contributing Writers & Artists Enfu (Ken Taya) Steven M. Corless Angela Cabotaje David Kowalsky Special Thanks Chin Music Press Cover Photo by Ann Norton From Shiro, a cookbook and memoir to be published by Chin Music Press this year

Comments and general inquiries info@ibukimagazine.com Advertising Info advertise@ibukimagazine.com Published by Axia Media Group, Inc. Bellevue, WA 98005 Become our fan on Facebook www.ibukimagazine.com 3

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

By Bruce Rutledge

S

ushi chef Shiro Kashiba came to Seattle in 1966 on a mission to introduce the city’s denizens to sushi as it was served on the Ginza, where he was trained. Diners here eventually took to it en masse, and now the greater Seattle area is said to have around 300 sushi restaurants.

But something happened to the classically trained sushi chef during his forty-plus years preparing meals for Seattle diners: He fell in love with the food of the Pacific Northwest. “There is no greater joy for me than to be able to live in this wonderful environment,” he says. “That’s why I want to introduce local seafood to the people.”

He is not alone. Chefs and seafood industry experts across the region rave about the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, from its salmon and albacore to its sardines and ocean smelt.

But that bounty may not last forever. There is a growing awareness among chefs, fishermen, wholesalers and savvy consumers that we are exhausting our supply of fish and we need to be better stewards of the ocean.

At Mutual Fish, a family-run market opened in 1947, the fish comes labeled with grades issued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a leader in the sustainable seafood movement. The true cod, trollcaught king salmon and catfish are labeled “best choice;” the rockfish, mahi mahi and scallops are “good” choices. Why the labels? “Our customers demand it,” says Kevin Yoshimura, grandson of the market’s founder.

At Uwajimaya supermarket’s flagship store in Seattle’s International District, seafood buyer Ken Hewitt is feeling the same pressure. He looks at the standards set by the National Oceanic and

4 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for his buying cues. The market has more than 500 varieties of seafood on sale, and “most of it is local,” Hewitt says.

Hajime Sato, chef and owner of the region’s only sustainable sushi restaurant, Mashiko in West Seattle, says being a good steward and being an adventurous eater go hand in hand. Instead of insisting on a piece of the endangered unagi eel or bluefin tuna, open your mind and try the catfish he uses at his store or the succulent sea urchin he sources from a boat in Port Angeles. You eat more variety with sustainable sushi, he says. “There’s plenty of fish out there to eat, but we’re targeting the wrong fish.”

The fishmongers at Pike Place Fish Market have gotten the message too. They are going 100% sustainable and teaming with Mashiko and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to raise awareness and educate consumers.

For most of us, the choices can be confusing, even if we want to do the right thing. Is wild always better than farmed? Does local always trump imported?

Where did the fish at the local supermarket come from, and is a shrimp made on a farm in Thailand better or worse for the environment (and our bodies) than one pulled from the Gulf of Mexico?

“It’s the responsibility of chefs and educators to explain to the consumers,” says culinary specialist Naomi Kakiuchi. “It’s a continuing discussion.

We’re always finding out more.”

Ibuki talked to chefs, nutritionists, wholesalers, activists and consumers about the seafood of the Pacific Northwest. On the following pages, we provide some tips for eating healthy and making smart choices at the market, in the kitchen and in the restaurant.

Photo of local spot prawns by Ann Norton, www.annnortonphotos.com from Shiro, a cookbook and memoir from Chin Music Press to be released this summer.

www.ibukimagazine.com 5

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

Making Healthy Choices Fish can play a vital role in a healthy diet. “Fish is rich in protein, low in saturated fat and fairly low in calories,” explains Naomi Kakiuchi, founder of NuCulinary, a Seattle company specializing in cooking classes and workshops. “It’s also a natural source for omega 3, which is good for the heart and good for brain functions.”

What exactly is omega 3? It’s an unsaturated fat, which means it is a liquid at room temperature (as opposed to saturated fat such as butter, which is solid). Omega 3 has to be eaten or ingested because the body doesn’t make it. It’s important in reducing inflammation and it’s vital to fetal development, so pregnant moms are expected to eat a lot of it. Omega 3 also helps reduce blood clots and increase your good cholesterol. Some studies are indicating that it helps in joint lubrication too, says Kakiuchi.

While you can get your omega 3 through flaxseed and fish oil pills, there’s nothing like getting it from fresh seafood. How to know what fish has the highest content? “The oilier the fish, the more likely it is high in omega 3,” says Ken Hewitt, head of the Uwajimaya seafood department in Seattle. For example, with salmon, the sockeye is beautiful but lean.

The oilier king salmon will have a higher omega 3 content.

Nature’s Catch, a company in Blaine, WA, makes smoked salmon jerky with wild Alaskan salmon. “Fish is full of omega 3s and 6s,” says Arnold Yuki, the company’s marketing director. “We stay away from artificial preservatives and coloring too.” The healthy snack may have a shorter shelf life than jerky packed with preservatives, but it’s healthier and just as flavorful, Yuki says.

One of the dangers associated with eating fish is that some fish – even wild fish – have high levels of mercury. This is something pregnant

Local oysters are a staple feature at Seattle sushi restaurants.

Photo by Ann Norton.

women should keep in mind, says Kevin Yoshimura of Mutual Fish, but for others, you’d have to eat a lot of fish to raise your mercury levels.

When in doubt, check out the Natural Resources Defense Council website, where you will find a nifty little “mercury calculator.” Enter your body weight and the fish you ate last week, and it will give you an estimate of the amount of mercury you ingested. The calculator can be found here: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/protect.asp Or if you can’t be bothered with that, take the advice of Mashiko owner and chef Hajime Sato: “Eat smaller fish. Typically, the smaller the fish, the lower the mercury.” As bigger fish eat smaller fish, they ingest and retain more mercury, meaning big fish such as swordfish and tuna often have the highest mercury counts. “Mercury percolates up the food chain,” says Casson Trenor, proprietor of two sustainable sushi restaurants called Tataki in San Francisco.

Finding Seasonal Fish at Peak Flavor The Japanese word “旬 shun” has been the guiding light for Yoshinori Nishizawa, the chief chef at a restaurant called Shun in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood. The word means “in season.” Despite a food distribution system that has us eating our favorite fruits and vegetables all year round, local, seasonal dishes still burst with extra flavor and Succulent sashimi. Photo by Ann Norton.

6 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

nutrition, Nishizawa explains. From lingcod to squid, the variety of local seafood available is often a surprise to diners.

Around mid-May, salmon season begins in the Northwest, and consumers will pay top dollar for fish found in the Copper River. But Uwajimaya’s Ken Hewitt says there are better deals to be had. “Copper River is good at marketing,” he says, but salmon pulled from the Yukon and Columbia rivers can be just as tasty and not nearly as expensive.

“White king is my favorite,” he adds.

Shiro Kashiba explains how to identify a fresh fish in the market: First, look at the whole body and the fin, which should be shiny. Then, the eyes should be clear, not cloudy. Then touch a gill – if it’s a little bloody and red, that’s a good sign too.

But beware of judging a fish by its color alone. “The US is one of the few countries left that allows the coloring of fish,” explains Hajime Sato of Mashiko. “That means you can take cheap tuna, for example, stick it in a CO2 chamber and color it with gas. It’s really scary. “ How to know when the fish has been artificially colored? Ask your local fishmonger. If he or she responds vaguely or is unsure, take your business elsewhere. A vague answer is not a good sign, because, as Hewitt points out, the fish being sold in stores is traceable. “Everything is traceable back to the boat that caught it,” he says. “Pretty soon, we’ll also know the names of the crew.”

One effect of climate change is that as waters warm, seasons change for certain fish. The season for albacore used to begin in late August, Hewitt explains, but lately it’s been beginning in early July.

Sustainability Casson Trenor, author of the 2009 book Sustainable Sushi, pulls no punches when he talks about the dangers of overfishing. “If we lose our top-level predators, the ocean will fall apart like a house of sticks.”

Bluefin tuna is one such top-level predator that is in danger of extinction.

Environmental groups are pushing hard to get sushi restaurants to pull the fish from their menus. Ken Hewitt of the Uwajimaya fish department says the Japanese American grocery chain “is taking a hard look at the issue” ever since NOAA put the fish on its endangered list.

In fact, the global love affair with sushi has stretched fish supplies thin.

“Think about it: the (top-selling) things in a sushi bar are typically irresponsibly farmed or unsustainable,” says NuCulinary’s Naomi Kakiuchi.

Hajime Sato of Mashiko says the seafood in the most danger are toro (bluefin tuna), hamachi (yellowtail) and unagi (eel). He adds that shrimp from farms in Southeast Asia are often raised at great ecological expense. Sato was so taken with Trenor’s work on sustainability that he converted Mashiko to a sustainable restaurant in 2009. Sato has since become one of the leading voices in the sustainability movement. In February 2008, Trenor opened Tataki, the world’s first sustainable sushi shop, in San Francisco. He now has a second shop in the Bay Area and the wait to get in the original Tataki is often more than an hour, proving that not all sushi fans need bluefin and eel.

The movement is gaining traction. Costco recently announced that it would pull endangered seafood from its shelves, and the Pike Place Fish Market has also taken great strides – it will soon offer only sustainable fish.

The sustainability movement is sparking innovation as chefs look for tasty alternatives, whether it’s the catfish “unagi” at Mashiko or the ocean smelt at Shiro’s. “For sustainable sushi to make sense, it has to vary geographically and seasonally, and it has to adhere to the core principals of sushi,” says Trenor.

Local sea urchin that melts in your mouth. Photo by Ann Norton.

Ocean smelt is an often overlooked local treat.

Photo by Ann Norton.

Don’t Forget the Little Guys You never heard a fishermen brag about catching a little fish, but some of the smaller creatures in the Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean make for some of the most healthy and tasty eating.

Take the Dungeness crab, for instance, named after the coastal town on the Olympic Peninsula where it was first commercially harvested.

The crabs, which grow to be about 20cm wide not including their five pairs of legs, have a slightly sweet, delicate taste. Or the ocean smelt, a little fish you can gut and clean with one finger. Chef Shiro Kashiba was so taken with this fish that he once served a 10-course meal with every course containing smelt. Smelt has a bad name among older Japanese Americans because that’s one of the main dishes they were served in the internment camps. But they mostly ate river smelt, which is softer than the silvery ocean smelt. Ocean smelt is good as sushi, deep-fried and even in a sandwich. And while our beloved Northwest oysters get lots of attention, the delicious local sardines, anchovies, spot prawns, sanma (pike mackerel) and scallops often get overlooked. Experts say that when we eat lower on the food chain, we’re at less risk of mercury poisoning and the fish are more likely to be sustainable. While Americans tend to go for bigger filets, Japanese households often serve smaller grilled fish like mackerel or aji (horse mackerel). So next time you’re about to reach for that swordfish steak or farm-raised salmon, why not take a chance on the smaller fish in the sea?

Photos by Ann Norton, www.annnortonphotos.com from Shiro, a cookbook and memoir from Chin Music Press to be released this year. www.ibukimagazine.com 7

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

Dine Out

The 3 Elements of Ozeki Sake.

The Essence of Great Taste.

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Red Fin Sushi Restaurant & Bar

from the Sierra Nevada, harmonious balance of essential mineral and mellow taste

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612 Stewart Street, Seattle | (206) 441-4340

selected short grain rice, nurtured and grown exclusively for Ozeki in the rice Sacramento Valley

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If you appreciate the visual aspects of sushi, then head to stylish Red Fin in downtown Seattle and behold the exquisite knife work of the chefs behind the sushi bar. The hip interior (the sushi bar is connected to Hotel Max) and elevated sushi bar make this a quintessential dining spot for appreciating the artistry of the sushi chef. On a recent visit, Kazuo Takigawa deftly turned a chunk of radish into a butterfly sitting lightly on a pile of wasabi. He says the restaurant’s aim is to add a little extra flair to each dish.

Takigawa effortlessly slices and dices as he speaks about what makes Red Fin special. The dishes served here are traditional Japanese with a twist. The sashimi plate, which comes with glistening slabs of maguro, sockeye salmon and other seasonal treats includes the usual garnishes: grated daikon radish, wasabi and a shiso leaf. But there’s also a neat pile of thinly sliced onions to experiment with and a green vegetable stalk that has little flourishes carved into it.

The Japanese often say they eat with their eyes as well as their stomachs. It’s hard to find a better feast for the eyes than sitting at a sushi bar watching a skilled chef at work.

Red Fin offers a full-service sushi bar as well as a wealth of fusion dishes to keep everybody satisfied. Happy hour occurs twice daily – from 4 to 6 pm and again from 10 to 11 pm. The restaurant even serves traditional Western breakfasts in the morning.

The sashimi plate at Red Fin. Photos by CC Yaguchi.

Photo by CC Yaguchi

Photo by CC Yaguchi

8 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

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Local squid and lingcod prepared by Chef Nishizawa of Shun.

Shun Japanese Cuisine

5101 25th Ave NE #11, Seattle | (206) 522-2200 The watchword at this Japanese restaurant in the Ravenna neighborhood is in its name: shun, which means “seasonal.” Chief Chef Yoshinori Nishizawa and his staff deliver fresh, seasonal dishes with the utmost care. “If you don’t love cooking or what you make, then don’t do it,” says one of Nishizawa’s chefs. “The dishes must be made with love.”

A steaming bowl of kasu soup with daikon radish, carrots and lingcod seemed like something you’d find in a country home in Japan. The fortifying soup is made with sake lees left over from sake production.

Nishizawa explains that lingcod is an often overlooked but tasty local fish that is as versatile as its more famous cousin, gindara, or true cod. “Lingcod is tasty, less expensive and not as fatty as true cod,” he says. “It can be served raw, too.”

Nishizawa says lingcod is playing more of a role in restaurants as fish costs start to skyrocket, one of the after-effects of the quake and tsunami in Japan.

At a recent visit to Shun, lingcod was served in soup; marinated and with a side of tightly wrapped spinach cubes; and as a broiled filet with tsukemono pickles, a seasoned cherry tomato and a dollop of noodles on the side.

The menu often features local delicacies such as stuffed squid, ocean smelt and plenty of mouth-watering sushi. The restaurant is comfortably situated on a sunny corner near Ravenna Park. www.ibukimagazine.com 9

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

Where to Buy Your Fish Seattle is blessed with fish markets. From the family-run Mutual Fish Co. to the boisterous fish-throwers at Pike Place Fish Market, this city knows its seafood. There’s no reason to take home a subpar steak or a less-than-fresh filet. When in doubt, talk to your fishmonger. A good one will be able to tell you where and how a fish was pulled from the ocean. Three markets stand out above the rest when it comes to finding fresh fish:

Mutual Fish is the connoisseur’s fish market. It’s been

in business since 1947 and has helped chefs such as Tom Douglas get their start serving fresh Northwest seafood. Here you’ll find such delicacies as herring roe on kelp (kazunoko kombu), geoduck and Penn Cove mussels. Most items are clearly labeled with the Monterey Bay Aquarium guidelines, too, making it easy to choose wisely as you shop.

The market is small, but it has top-grade choices and several shelves of Asian goods. The Yoshimura family, which has run the company since its inception, says staying small makes it easier to control quality.

Mutual Fish is trusted by many top local chefs including Tom Douglas.

Pike Place Fish Market will soon be selling 100% sustainable seafood.

Pike Place Market opened in 1907 in order

to cut out the price-gouging middlemen and get fresh food directly to the people. On the first day, 10,000 people gathered and quickly bought everything the eight farmers on hand had to offer. It was clear the people were ready for a public market. Today, the market draws 10 million people. But the market is much more than a tourist stop – it’s still a fully functional market that serves downtown denizens fresh fish, meat, fruits and vegetables. Before the internment of the Japanese Americans in World War II, the market’s vendors were predominantly Japanese. When the local Japanese population was taken to internment camps, the number of vendors at the market dropped from 600 to 40.

Today, perhaps the biggest tourist attraction within the market – the Pike Place Fish Market, famous for its fish-throwing and other boisterous activity at the center of the market – is going 100% sustainable. “We have a few hundred pounds of Mexican shrimp left that we had to freeze when the market was closed in January for renovations, but once that’s sold, we’re 100% sustainable,” says Jake Jardine. “We are going with hook-and-line caught fish, all wild salmon – no farmed salmon

10 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

– and the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Marine Stewardship Council guidelines.”

The market is planning new signage and a blitz of public-relations activity once the nonsustainable shrimp is sold. “There are guys who have worked here 10-15 years. Seafood has paid for their house,” Jardine says. “We want there to be enough seafood in the ocean. We’re all conscious of it and constantly talking about different alternatives.”

Pike Place Fish Market | 86 Pike Place, Seattle | (206) 682-7181

The Tsunami Effect..

The new Uwajimaya store in Bellevue features a very large seafood department.

The great earthquake and tsunami of March 11 changed Japan forever. As we went to press, the country was still struggling with nuclear radiation issues and finding the remains of tsunami victims. The rebuilding of a great swath of eastern Tohoku will go on for years. We talked to Ken Hewitt of the Uwajimaya seafood department about how the disaster will affect seafood supplies and prices around the world.

A lot of Japan’s fishing fleet on the eastern side of Tohoku was damaged or lost in the tsunami, Hewitt says. The waters off the coast were known for sanma, or pike mackerel, but now that the fishing fleet has been knocked out and the water is contaminated with radiation, prices of sanma have been rising quickly as the Japanese find supplies elsewhere. By late March, the fish was selling for $5.49/lb, up about $1.50/lb since the quake.

Japanese consumers are wary of fish caught in their waters right now because of the nuclear leaks. This means more of the fish in the Pacific Northwest that often makes its way to Seattle and elsewhere on the West Coast will be bought up by the Japanese. Look for seafood prices to continue to rise through the summer, Hewitt says.

Uwajimaya

’s downtown Seattle store has a seafood department that boasts more than 500 different items. Tanks hold fresh fish, and local area schools come here on a regular basis for field trips.

The market and its Bellevue, Renton and Beaverton, OR, branches have become vital outlets for not only the Japanese communities, but other ethnic communities in the region as well, including the Koreans, Vietnamese and Russians. “We are constantly educating ourselves on how everybody is using seafood,” says Ken Hewitt of the market’s seafood department. Most of the fish on sale is locally caught, too.

Many sushi chefs shop here, and a few have “VIP passes” to walk into the cooler and see what’s fresh. Hewitt says he gets regular phone calls from many top chefs.

Uwajimaya | www.uwajimaya.com

I LOVE SUSHI Taste the Difference

23 Lake Bellevue Dr., Bellevue WA (425) 455-9090 | www.ilovesushi.com

www.ibukimagazine.com 11

息吹 IBUKI_FEATURE ARTICLE_Enjoying the Northwest’s Bounty

Enjoy the Northwest’s Bounty at Home!

Salmon and Japanese Mushroom Salad Ingredients (4 servings) 1/2 lb salmon filet 1 pack enoki mushrooms 1 pack shimeji mushrooms 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped 1 tbs vegetable oil Flour, salt & pepper

<dressing> 1 tbs soy sauce 1 tbs vinegar 1 tbs olive oil 1/2 tsp fresh ginger juice

Directions

Sautéed Smelt & Marinated Sweet Onion

Smelt is delicious and very reasonably priced. Cook the whole fish and eat from head to tail. The bones are soft enough to eat and a great source of calcium.

Ingredients (2 servings) 1 lb fresh whole smelt 1 sweet onion 1 tbs olive oil 1 tbs vegetable oil

1. Remove skin and bone from the salmon. Cut into bite-sized chunks.

2. Lightly season the salmon with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the seasoned salmon.

3. Cut stems off the enoki and shimeji mushrooms. Cook them for 1-2 minutes in boiling water.

4. In a large frying pan, grease a skillet with vegetable oil and sauté the salmon.

5. Mix the cooked salmon, mushrooms, parsley and pre-mixed dressing. * Original recipe by Kikkoman Corporation

Steamed Oyster rice

1 tbs rice vinegar flour/salt and pepper daikon sprouts (optional)

Directions 1. Finely slice a sweet onion. In a bowl, mix olive oil, rice vinegar and the onion slices.

2. Lightly season the smelt with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the smelt.

3. In a large frying pan, grease a skillet with vegetable oil and sauté smelt on both sides for about 3-4 minutes each.

4. Serve the sautéed smelt with marinated onion on the side. Mix the onion with daikon sprouts for color.

Ingredients (4-6 servings) 2 cup rice uncooked 10-15 oysters 1 pack enomi mushrooms

Directions 1.

2.

3.

4.

2 tbs soy sauce 2 tbs sake 2 tbs mirin (sweetened sake) 1 tsp fresh ginger juice

Clean oysters in salt water. Wash rice in cold water and drain well.

In a saucepan, boil soy sauce, sake, mirin and fresh ginger. Add oyster and boil for 3 munities or until oyster is cooked. Separate Oyster from the soup. Add cold water to the soup to make it 2 1/2.

Cut stem off the enoki mushroom.

In a ricecooker, add rice, enoki mushroom and the soup. Steam the rice according to your rice cooker’s direction. When the cooking process is over, add the oyster. Cover again and let it sit for 5 munities.

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Seattle 525 S Weller St, Seattle (206) 587-2477 Portland 10500 SW Beaverton Hillsdale, Beaverton (503) 641-6240 Inside Uwajimaya 12 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

RECIPE

Have a Ball with Temari Sushi

Temari sushi is a round type of sushi made by pressing the rice and fish into a ball-shaped form by hand using a plastic wrap. This type of sushi is quick and easy to make. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great dish for home parties.

Ingredients (2 serving) 4 tbs Kikkoman Seasoned Rice Vinegar

(Sushi Vinegar)

4 cups cooked rice (short grain) 1/2 lb smoked or sashimi salmon Pickled daikon slice 2 tbs Kikkoman Rice Vinegar 1/2 of a medium-sized daikon radish 1 tbs sugar 1 tbs sake 1 tsp salt

Directions

ď&#x20AC;¸

Check out more recipes online

www.ibukimagazine.com

1. In a bowl, mix rice and sushi vinegar to make sushi rice.

Rice needs to be freshly steamed.

2. Cut a piece of plastic wrap and put it in your hand. Place sliced salmon and a piece of pickled daikon slice* on it.

Place two tablespoons worth of sushi rice on the toppings.

3. Shape the sushi into a ball, twisting the plastic wrap.

Unwrap the plastic wrap.

4. Serve temari sushi with wasabi and soy sauce. *How to make pickled daikon 5. Finely slice daikon radish using slicer. Sprinkle sliced daikon with salt and let sit for 3 minutes.

6. Squeeze daikon to drain water.

7. Mix daikon with pre-mixed vinegar and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes.

www.ibukimagazine.com 13

Dungeness Crab with Ponzu Dip Dungeness crab is in season from early winter to early summer. Seattleites can buy live Dungeness crabs at a reasonable price at Uwajimaya and Mutual Fish. Ibuki recommends that you enjoy the delicate flavor of the crab by simply boiling it in salt water and dipping the meat in ponzu sauce.

The perfect match with a glass of sake!

Ingredients (1 serving) ®

1/2 cup Mizkan AJIPON (Aji Ponzu) ™

- Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce 1 Dungeness crab, live 15 cups water The citrusy ponzu sauce is 1/2 cup sea salt a great choice if you want a 1/2 cup sake less buttery, lighter sauce to enhance the delicate flavor of fresh seafood.

Directions

What to do with the shells and guts?

The leftover shells and clean orange part of the guts of the crab may be used for miso soup. Boil them with 4 cups of water for about 10 minutes. Remove shells using a sieve, then add 3 tbs of miso paste. Add tofu and chopped green onion. Enjoy!

14 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

1. Boil water in a large saucepan; add salt and sake. Use as much water as possible and keep the salt concentration at 3% so that it is similar to seawater.

2. Clean the live Dungeness crab under running water by using a scrubbing brush or tawashi. Let the crab hold some wooden chopsticks, since it may pinch you otherwise.

3. Put the crab in the boiling water. After the water returns to a boil, let it cook for 12 minutes. Do not overcook.

4. Take out the crab and cool down under running water.

5. Take off legs. Make a cut line on leg shells and place on serving plate.

6. Remove the carapace from the body. You may stick your thumb into the hole between the body and the carapace at the back of the crab, then remove gently.

7. Remove and discard the spongy, inedible gills from the side of the body and the black guts from the middle of the body.

8. Fold the crab in half to crack the body into two parts. Use chopsticks or a crab fork and take off the white meat that forms in clusters divided by thin sections of shell.

9. Place the meat in a small serving bowl. Serve with ponzu dipping sauce.

Urban Oases:

Japanese Gardens in the Northwest

Written by David Kowalsky / Photos by Mary Nagan The Japanese gardens in Portland and Seattle offer a great way to spend a few hours outside in the fresh air enjoying a Japan-related experience without actually traveling to Japan.

Seattle Japanese Garden Located within the Washington Park Arboretum, the 31/2 acre formal garden was designed and constructed in 1960 by Kiyoshi Inoshita and Junki Iida. Iida is known for having designed more than 1,000 Japanese gardens throughout the world. The garden contains the features of stroll-through gardens of the formal (shinstyle) type, built during the Momoyama (late 16th Century) and early Edo (early 17th Century) periods. The stroll garden style aims to create the illusion of several landscapes within a garden, which reveal, suggest and disappear along a path. Some of the highlights are: Zig-zag (Yatsuhashi) Bridge: A great spot to observe the multicolored Japanese carp (koi) and turtles swimming and sunning themselves on the “Tortoise Island.” The bridge is built in the zig-zag manner to avoid evil spirits, which are said to travel in a straight line.

Tea ceremonies: From April through October, visitors to the garden can experience an authentic tea ceremony in the Shoseian teahouse. Visitors who would like to enjoy a bowl of tea and sweets can purchase a $5 tea ticket at the Garden ticket booth. Tea tickets are limited to 20 persons per session. Call the Japanese Garden for schedule information: 206-684-4725.

Maples and native plants of the Northwest: Enjoy the sheer beauty of very old Japanese lace leaf (Acer palmatum) and paperbark maples (Acer griseum). A challenge unique to this garden is to try to see if you can identify the native plants of the Northwest that are also employed, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, cedars and firs.

Stone lanterns: The Kasuga-doro lanterns mark divergences in the path. These types of lanterns often mark the entrances of many important Shinto shrines. Look carefully to notice the three-legged lanterns (Yukimi-doro) that have two legs in the water and one on land.

Portland Japanese Garden This garden lies in the heart of Washington Park on a 5 1/2 acre site 10 minutes from downtown Portland.

The garden was designed in 1963 by Takuma Tono, a well-known authority on Japanese gardens who was a professor at the Tokyo Agricultural University. The garden is composed of five separate gardens, each with a distinct style::the Flat Garden (hira niwa), Strolling Pond Garden (chisen kaiyu shiki teien), Tea Garden (cha-niwa or roji), Natural Garden (shizen shiki teien), and Sand and Stone Garden (karesansui). Some of the highlights include: Strolling Pond Garden: The Wisteria Arbor was designed to frame the view of the granite pagoda, and even farther away, the Celestial Falls. This place perfectly illustrates the landscape principle of “hide and reveal.” The cobblestones under the arbor (Belgian block originally brought to Portland as ballast on ships and later used to pave some Portland streets) point to the practice in Japanese gardens of using older materials in a new and interesting manner.

Sand and Stone Garden: The perfectly raked gravel in this abstract garden evokes a simple beauty and illustrates the aesthetic principle of “the blank space” (yohaku no bi). I’m happy to be reminded of my visit two years ago to the dry landscape (karesansui) rock garden on the grounds of Ryoan-ji, the Zen temple located in Kyoto.

Tea Garden: Visitors can try the ritual washing of the hands and rinsing of the mouth at the tsukubai (small water basin).

Special thanks to my volunteer tour guides -- Dee Wenger in Portland and Michele Malo in Seattle -- for taking the time to share their amazing knowledge and infectious love of the gardens!

2nd Annual Japanese Garden Party — Friday July 22nd

Once a year, Seattle’s Japanese Garden hosts a special event to support the Japanese Garden Advisory Council’s programs and horticultural needs. Thirty minutes before the party, special tours are held for guests to learn about the garden design and pruning activities. At 6:30, the party begins. It will include sushi, sake, beer, wine, live music and more. The party is open to the public. Admission is $50 per person.

Email rachel.harris@seattle.gov to reserve a ticket.

Seattle Japanese Garden (206) 684-4725 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E, Seattle, WA 98112

Portland Japanese Garden (503) 223-1321 611 SW Kingston Avenue, Portland, OR 97205 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.

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

Setsuna Japanese Restaurant (206) 417-3175 11204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle

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

I Love Sushi - Lake Union 206-625-9604 1001 Fairview Ave N, Seattle

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 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 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, Seattle Kisaku (206) 545-9050 2101 N. 55th St. #100, Seattle

Hours: Sun,Tue-Thu 5pm-12am Fri & Sat 5pm-2am Mon Closed Happy Hour: 5p-6p & 9p-11p

“NO SUSHI, SO WHAT!”

“WE ARE IZAKAYA!”

11204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle • 206.417.3175 • setsunarestaurant.com 16 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2011

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 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 Village Sushi (206) 985-6870 4741 12th Ave NE, Seattle Wabi-Sabi Sushi Bar & Restaurant (206) 721-0212 4909 Rainier Ave S, Seattle Wann Japanese Izakaya (206) -441-5637 2020 2nd Ave, Seattle Wasabi Bistro (206) -441-6044 2311 Second Ave, Seattle

North End

New Zen Japanese Restaurant

Cafe Soleil (425) 493-1847 9999 Harbour Place # 105, Mukilteo 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 Taka Sushi (425) 778-1689 18904 Hwy 99 Suite A, Lynnwood Tengu Sushi (206) 525-9999 301 NE 103 St, Seattle

South End Blue C Sushi - Westfield Southcenter (206) 277-8744 468 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila 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

Dozo Cafe

(425) 254-1599 10720 SE Carr Rd, Lunch Bento: create your own $$9.50www.newzensushi.com

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

Miyabi Restaurant

(425) 455-9090 23 Lake Bellevue Dr, Bellevue

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

Eastside Blue Ginger Korean Grill & Sushi (425) 746-1222 14045 NE 20th St, Bellevue Ginza Japanese Restaurant (425) 709-7072 103 102nd Ave SE, Bellevue Genki Sushi - Factoria Mall (425) 747-7330 B-4, 4055 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue Himitsu Sushi and Teriyaki (425) 882-2500 13112 NE 20th St # 200, Bellevue I Sushi (425) 313.7378 1802 12th Ave NW, Suite F, Issaquah 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 Kikuya Restaurant (425) 881-8771 8105 161st Ave NE, Redmond Kiku Sushi (425) 644-2358 13112 NE 20th St, Ste 200, 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

I Love Sushi -One Lake Bellevue I Love Sushi -Bellevue Main (425) 454-5706 11818 NE 8th St, Bellevue

Rikki Rikki Japanese Restaurant (425) 828-0707 442 Parkplace Center, Kirkland www.rikkirikki.com Sushi Maru (425) 453-0100 205 105th Ave, Bellevue Sushi Me (425) 644-9800 1299 156th Ave NE #145, Bellevue Sushi Mojo (425) 746-6656 1915 140th Ave. NE, D1-B, Bellevue Sushi-Ten (425) 643-6637 2217 140TH Ave NE, 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 Rolls & Rolls + Sushi (425) 454-4313 11011 NE 12th St, Bellevue

Come Experience Japanese street food

kushibar www.kushibar.com

2319 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 | (206) 448-2488 | Hours: Weekdays 11:30 am – 1am, Weekends 4 pm – 1am www.ibukimagazine.com 17

Restaurant Directory Sushi Joa (206) 230-4120 2717 78th Ave SE, Mercer Island The Bento Box (425) 643-8646 15119 NE 24th St, Redmond Tokyo Japanese Restaurant (425) 641-5691 3500 Factoria Blvd SE, 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 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

Party Time: Book Your Sushi Chef, Food Cart and Sake Tasting Now! Summer is almost here, which means it is time to prepare for those summer home parties.

Ibuki has some delicious and fun catering ideas for your home or corporate parties this year.

Umami Kushi is a kushiyaki catering service from Chef Harold Fields that brings the Japanese street-dining experience to your events. He worked at Gonpachi restaurant in Tokyo’s famed Ginza district serving sushi and kushiyaki for a year; his yakitori and kushiyaki dishes are authentic. He will bring all of his own yatai (street cart) style cooking equipment and matsuri (festival) themed signs to your place. I Love Sushi Bellevue Main is a trustworthy option for traditional sushi and kaiseki-style cuisine from Chef Masa Nakashima. Master Chef Masa will cater for all occasions including business meetings, birthdays, weddings and anniversaries.

Wasabi Bistro Catering brings the finest Japanese fusion menu for small gatherings to big corporate events with thousands of guests. Chef Tak Suetsugu of Bistro Satsuma is famous for his artistic food carving and presentation of his kaiseki cuisine. Sake in Seattle (www. sakeinseattle.com) brings you a sake-tasting experience for your private parties. And there’s more: Hiroshi’s Restaurant in East Lake, Nishino in East Madison, Ricenroll and Blue C Sushi. Ask your favorite restaurants and sushi chefs for their catering options to make this year’s party super special!

Wasabi Bistro Catering delivers the finest Japanese fusion cuisine.

18 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2011

Umami Kushi’s matsuri-themed equipment at Sake Nomi’s event.

A variety of meats and vegetables on skewers cooking over an open fire.

www.ibukimagazine.com 19

Business Directory Art & Furniture Kobo

koboseattle.com 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 The Wing Luke Museum (206) 623-5124 719 South King Street, Seattle Azuma Gallery (206) 622-5599 530 1st Ave S, Seattle 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

Bakery and Cafe Hiroki Desserts (206) 547-4128 2224 N 56th St, Seattle Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee House (206) 515-4000 607 S Main St, Seattle Kitanda Brazilian Bakery & Espresso (425) 641-4413 15230 NE 24th St, Redmond

Setsuko Pastry

Kinokuniya Book Store

Fuji Bakery

Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle

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

Seattle Kinokuniya (206) 587-2477 525 S Weller St, Seattle Beaverton Kinokuniya (503) 641-6240 10500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton

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

UniCone Crepes

(206) 243-6236 2800 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila Fumie’s Gold (425) 223-5893 10115 NE 1st St # CU2, Bellevue | Japanese Zoka Coffee & Tea - Greenlake (206) 545-4277 2200 North 56th St, Seattle Zoka Coffee & Tea - University (206) 527-0990 2901 NE Blakeley St, Seattle Zoka Coffee & Tea - Kirkland (206) 284-1830 129 Central Way, Kirkland Cortona Cafe (206) 327-9728 2425 E Union St, Seattle Seabell Bakery (425) 644-2616 12816 SE 38th St, Bellevue

Books, Games & Anime Anime Raku

Anime Asylum (503) 284-6626 1009 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR VIDEO HOP Downtown Store (206) 587-4037 601 S. King St. Suite#101, Seattle Pink Gorilla - International District (206) 264-2434 601 S King St, Seattle Pink Gorilla - University District (206) 547-5790 4341 University Ave NE, Seattle

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

Grocery and General Store Anzen Hiroshi’s (503) 233-5111 736 NE MLK Blvd, Portland

(425) 454-0112 10627 NE 8th St, Bellevue www.anime-raku.com

Authentic Japanese Crepes Since 2007

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

TOKYO Japanese Lifestyle

Now 4 locations!

Southcenter Mall, Suite 1220

(206) 241-0219

ユニコーン クレープ At Southcenter Mall | 2800 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila 98188 www.facebook.com/UniConeCrepes 20 息吹 ibuki • may / june 2011

Northgate Mall, Suite 740

(206) 363-3213

Tacoma Mall, Suite 616

(253) 475-5380

Capital Mall, Suite 334 (360) 943-5790

Mutual Fish Company

AISHA Skin and Body Care Therapy

www.mutualfish.com (206) 322-4368 2335 Rainier Ave S, Seattle

www.aishainfo.com (206) 621-9494 509 Olive Way #Suite 1201, Seattle A haven hidden within steps of Westlake Center

Uwajimaya

www.uwajimaya.com Seattle Uwajimaya (206) 624-6248 600 5th Avenue South, Seattle Bellevue Uwajimaya (425)747-9012 699 120th Ave NE, Bellevue Renton Uwajimaya (425) 277-1635 501 South Grady Way, Renton Beaverton Uwajimaya (503)643-4512

(425) 744-9751 Sogetsu contemporary school of ikebana Classes in home studio and around town

(425) 702-9900 12121 Northup Way # 210, Bellevue WellnessOne of Eastgate (425) 289-0092 15100 SE 38th St., Ste. 305B, Bellevue

Fashion Miki House USA

Daiso Alderwood Mall (425) 673-1825 3000 184th St SW, # 398, Lynnwood Daiso International District 76 S Washington St, Seattle H-Mart -Lynnwood (425)776-0858 3301 184th Street Southwest, Lynnwood

www. mikihouse-usa.com (425) 455-4063 1032 106th Ave NE # 123, Bellevue Momo (206) 329-4736 600 S Jackson St, Seattle

Schools Music School of Taiko (425) 785-8316 www.Japantaiko.com

Health and Beauty 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 Hen Sen Herbs (206) 328-2828 13256 NE 20th St, Bellevue Lynnwood Olympus Spa (425) 697-3000 3815 196th Street Southwest #160, Lynnwood Tacoma Olympus Spa (253) 588-3355 8615 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma

Ikebana by Megumi

www.ikebanabymegumi.com

E Z Chair Barber Shop

10500 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale HWY, Beaverton

Japanese Floral Design

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

Yushoryu Ikenobo (206) 723-4994 5548 Beason Ave. S.,Seattle Ikenobo Lake Washington Chapter (425) 803-3268 IkenoboLakeWashingtonChapter.com The Little Flower Station (425) 770-5888 www.thelittleflowerstation.com Martial Arts Seattle Kendo Kai (206) 721-1416 1610 S King St, Seattle Seattle Judo Dojo (206) 324-7080 1510 S Washington St, Seattle Obukan Kendo Club (503) 443-2281 4130 SW 117th Ave. Suite 246, Beaverton Language Seattle Japanese Language School (206) 323-0250 1414 S Weller St, Seattle Tea Ceremony Urasenke Foundation Seattle Branch (206) 328-6018 5125 40th Avenue N.E., Seattle Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle Association (206)324-2829 1515 E. Yesler Way #304, Seattle

How to receive a FREE business listing

If you own a store, cafe, 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. Contact: advertise@ibukimagazine.com

FUJI BAKERY All-Natural Organic Japanese artisan bakery

Delicious

Bellevue 145th Store

Seattle International District

145th

5th

148th

6th

QFC

1502 145th Pl SE, Bellevue Tel: (425) 641-4050 M-F: 8am-6pm, Sat: 8am-4pm Sun & Holiday: Close

Poire (Pear Danish) $2.50

Brioche Cube

Sunflower cheese cake$4.00

S King St

SE 16th St. Bellevue Collage

Croissant Aux Amandes$3.50

chocolate franbois (raspberry) & caramel banane

Lake Hill Blvd

S Weller St Uwajimaya

Daiso

526 South King St, Seattle Tel: (206) 623-4050 M-F: 11am-6pm, Sat: 11am-6pm Sun & Holiday: Close

Salmon :$1.50 Japon (azuki): $2.50

Cake citron $6.00(S) $9.00(L)

www.ibukimagazine.com 21

PRAY F R

JAPAN

By Misa Murohashi

Kikuchi’s hometown Kamaishi after the tsunami hit. It was a calm and beautiful coast town before the devastation.

Photo by Hirohisa Kikuchi

22 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

“We will bounce back!”

That was the strong message I received in an email from Hirohisa Kikuchi, the man in charge of overseas sales for Asabiraki, a sake brewery in Iwate Prefecture in the northern part of the Tohoku region. When the earthquake and tsunami hit on March 11, he was in San Francisco for business. “I was watching TV in my hotel room when I was very surprised by the words ‘Japan Shock’ on the screen. I turned to the news and watched as water cascaded over Sendai airport as if it were a rice field being watered in spring.

Now I know it was a tsunami, but at the time I wasn’t sure what I was watching. The next scene to race before my eyes was a hotel in Kamaishi, my hometown, being washed away by the tsunami. The owner of the hotel is a good friend of mine and the hotel was a regular customer of our sake.

When the thought crossed my mind that the tsunami may have hit my parents’ house, I was overcome with emotion,” Kikuchi said of the shock he felt that day.

Kikuchi spent the next hours trying to reach family, friends and business associates in any way he could. He confirmed that his wife and two children were safe. However, he couldn’t reach his parents. Filled with unease, he left the next day to return to Japan. Dealing with congestion, he finally made it back to his home in Morioka on March 13. “I wanted to see for myself that my family was alright,” he said. “After that I wanted to head directly to my parents’ house, but there was a gas shortage and the roads were jammed. There was nothing I could do. My sister who lives in a town next to Kamaishi called me in a few days with news that our parents were safe at a shelter, and I began to cry in relief.”

He started going to work after he confirmed his parent’s safety. The company president, Mr. Murai, told his staff that “it is times like these that we can’t think just about ourselves but about how we can contribute to society.” The talk gave Mr. Kikuchi a sense of relief. “When thing settle down, I’d like to take my children to see where the tsunami hit,” Kikuchi said. “I’d like to explain to them the natural phenomenon and what it means to protect life. I want them to realize that as we rebuild, we’ll need the strength to overcome the disaster.”

All employees of Ichinokura gathered to send their first shipment after the quake. Broken sake bottles still littered the parking lot.

Photo by Ichinokura Co.,Ltd.

Asabiraki was founded in 1871 by a samurai, Genzo Murai, who resigned his post after being defeated by the new government of the Meiji Restoration. The name “Asabiraki,” which conjures up images of a new day in Japanese, comes from the fact that the samurai dedicated himself to the craft of sake brewing during a time of national rebirth. Their corporate motto is: “No matter how many trials we are subjected to, we will always strive to enlighten the age and open people’s hearts while overcoming every difficulty we face.” The staff lived up to that motto by striving to supplement the local market by developing new markets. “We are 252km from the nuclear plants,” Kikuchi explained. “Luckily, the level of radioactivity in neighboring facilities hasn’t risen as projected. Our materials have been safely procured, so our sake can be consumed without worry.”

There are many historic sake breweries in the Tohoku region because of its precious supply of water and rice. All of the breweries affected by the disaster have plans to come roaring back. On March 21 in Belltown, there was a sake-tasting event where I met Mr. Enomoto who represents Ichinokura, a sake brewery from Miyagi Prefecture. “I almost thought about canceling this visit to Seattle, but the owner encouraged me to come here,” he said.

“We are working to rebuild our business.” Ichinokura came about when four historic sake breweries decided they would join forces and become Japan’s leading brewery. The union resulted in a brewery that continued its traditional handcrafted brewing process while developing novel products that would appeal to new markets outside of their local market. After the disaster, the employees made an all-out effort to rebuild. They started by removing debris, then repairing the battered building and facilities, then focusing on the sake itself. By March 22, they made their first post-disaster shipment. A large aftershock on April 7 damaged the brewery, its facilities and its sake stock all over again. On the following morning, the employees assembled and began the process of rebuilding once more. By April 12, they were practically done. I deeply admire the hearty and calm people of Tohoku who are coming together as a team to rebuild their region.

There’s also a movement emerging in Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood in response to the disaster. It’s called the “Mighty Harajuku Project.”

The residents and shopkeepers of the area are raising money and sending

Suijin and Yumeakari are the two big sellers from Asabiraki in the US market. Suijin, a junmaishu sake, is a complex dry drink that brings out the depth of the rice. Yumeakari has won the Monde Selection gold medal for six straight years. The fruity flavor makes this sake perfect for a summer outing. On June 4 and 5, Kikuchi will be at Seattle’s Uwajimaya supermarket to hold a tasting and talk about the sake.

condolences to the people in the disaster zone, and they’re also trying to make their Harajuku neighborhood as attractive as possible to draw visitors from all over the world. The man behind this movement is the producer of the popular Harajuku fashion brand 6% Dokidoki. “Right after the disaster, we heard words of sympathy from people all over the world,” he told Ibuki in a telephone call from Tokyo. “Tokyo experienced some confusion with its transportation and rolling blackouts at first, but a few days later, we were back to normal. The only exception is that there are very few foreigners in Harajuku these days My biggest concern is that all the broadcasts around this Japanese quake may bring the mistaken impression that this disaster has wiped out Japan’s youth culture. I want the world to understand that the disaster has not changed the power of Harajuku one bit. By maintaining Harajuku’s core strengths, we will support Japan and Tohoku.” Masuda is blogging and posting on Facebook to remind people that “mighty Harajuku” is doing just fine. He’s also distributing free “Mighty Harajuku” badges to anyone who wants them. He planned to distribute them on 6% Dokidoki’s West Coast tour in April, which included appearances at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Space 15 Twenty in Los Angeles, the Caprice Night Club in Vancouver and Sakura-Con in Seattle.

I nodded in agreement when Masuda said, “Relief is important, but if our economy doesn’t bounce back, there will be no revival. ” I hope everyone shows their love of Japan by enjoying its sake, video games, movies, music and fashion.

Harajuku-ites showing their Mighty Harajuku badges. The shops, brands, organizations and many Harajuku-ites are supporting the project.

Photo by Kira / © TokyoFashion.com

Photo by Kira / © TokyoFashion.com

Photo by Kira / © TokyoFashion.com

www.ibukimagazine.com 23

“Thank you for your support!”

This historic disaster has prompted generous contributions from countries, companies, organizations and people across the globe. “Whenever I hear of all the support coming in from around the world, it buoys my spirit,” said Mr. Kikuchi of the Asabiraki sake brewery. The West Coast has been active in supporting Japan too. On March 25, Universal Music released a compilation album called Songs for Japan that brought together a slew of famous musicians. Its proceeds go to the Japan Red Cross. Hollywood actor Ken Watanabe started the site kizuna311.com. The site makes videos available where Watanabe and other celebrities read poems and stories and offer words of encouragement to the victims of the disaster. The word “kizuna” means “solidarity” in Japanese. “We would like to turn our attention toward the rebuilding we must now do, and inspire the kizuna required for us to achieve it, “ commented Ken Watanabe on the main page of kizuna311.com. The videos can also be seen on YouTube.

In San Francisco on April 9, 13 of the Bay Area’s top chefs gathered at Yoshi’s jazz club and restaurant to host “Yoshi’s Japan Relief Benefit.” I was in town one week before the event to interview Executive Chef Sho Kamio, one of the most respected chefs in the city. Chef Sho is from the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, a heavily damaged area. “The home I grew up in was washed away by the tsunami, but luckily my family was unharmed,” he told me. “However, I have many friends and relatives who I have not been able to contact. I felt I had to do something, so I decided to call upon my fellow chefs who I led on a food tour through Miyagi Prefecture just last year. That’s how we started this event.” The $75 tickets quickly sold out.

In Seattle, Taichi Kitamura, owner and chef of the popular Sushi Kappo Tamura, gathered seven sushi chefs for a Japan Relief Fund-raising Event to be held on May 5 (see page 30).

A number of Seattle artists with connections to Japan got together to hold a fund-raising sales event called “Artists for Japan”on March 26-27 in Kobo at Higo. They donated all the artwork — paintings, drawings, calligraphy, sumi-e, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, prints and more. Kobo was packed on those days as people bought artwork, raising money for relief efforts.

Local moms are also on the move. Masami Suzuki, who lives in Shoreline

not losing to the rain, not losing to the wind, not losing to the snow nor to summer’s heat, with a strong body, unfettered by desire, never losing temper, cultivating a quiet joy, every day four bowls of brown rice, miso and some vegetables to eat, in everything count yourself last and put others before you...

24 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

The creator of the You can do it, Japan! project, Masami Suzuki and her sons. The red silicon wristband is $5 and the T-shirt is $20. They’re available at Megumi Nursery School.

The wristbands are also available at Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle stores.

Photo by Sean Frego

Art donated for the “Artists for Japan” fund-raising event held at Kobo at Higo on March 26-27.

and raises her 5- and 3-year-old sons, started the You can do it, Japan! project soon after the disaster. “Being in the US, I wanted to do something to help. Then it came to me in a flash, and I made some wristbands and T-shirts,” she said. The silicon wristbands and T-shirts feature the words “You can do it, Japan!” and a red sun. All the proceeds go to the Japan Red Cross. Other groups of moms at local nursery schools or play groups have been busy raising relief funds at garage sales and by selling Japanese treats.

While many Japanese restaurants are helping to raise funds, Uwajimaya supermarket and the Seattle Mariners have also been raising funds or matching donations. There are many events happening in our area, so please give what you can to support Tohoku.

Ken Watanabe reads a signature poem from 19th Century poet and Iwate Prefecture native Kenji Miyazawa entitled “Ame nimo Makezu” (I Also Won’t Lose to the Rain) for Kizuna311.com

Photo © kizuna311

s a k e

Support Tohoku Breweries: Raise a Glass

By Johnnie Stroud, owner of Saké Nomi

V

isitors to Saké Nomi frequently ask, “How’d you end up owning a saké bar in Seattle?” The short answer usually is, “What else would I do with a degree in English?” However, the longer, more truthful story is that upon graduating from college, and with no background in Japanese language, history or culture, I took a job teaching English to Japanese eighth graders. As fate would have it, I ended up living and working for three years in the heart of the Tohoku region, in Shiwa-cho, Iwate Prefecture.

When I first landed in Iwate (in 1988), there weren’t many gaijin (foreigners) in that remote region, thus it was a very intense, adventurous, challenging time in my life. Learning standard Japanese, let alone the local dialect, was a slow, often painful process, but one thing I did learn early on was that I enjoyed Japanese saké. I came to realize later that the Tohoku region is blessed with an abundance of the most vital ingredients for producing delicious nihonshu: good water and good rice. In fact, the first thing most Japanese people say when I tell them I spent some time in Iwate is, “The rice and saké from up there certainly are delicious, aren’t they?” One of the original ideas behind opening a premium saké shop and tasting bar in Seattle was to introduce people here to the delicious brews produced by small, traditional sakagura (breweries) located in the area of my Japanese “hometown.”

It has been utterly heartbreaking to witness the devastation the recent earthquake and tsunami wreaked on my beloved Tohoku, but at Saké Nomi we are determined to do what we can to help. So along with holding various relief benefit events throughout the year, we will continue to enthusiastically promote the fantastic saké produced by Tohoku breweries. It may not seem like much, but kuramoto (brewery presidents) throughout Japan have said that the best thing that U.S. saké fans can do to support them is to continue buying and enjoying their products.

Kosuke Kuji, the 7th generation owner and toji (brewmaster) of Nanbu Bijin (“Southern Beauty”), had this to say: “For the time being, no one in this area feels like drinking saké. To avoid secondary economic damage, we want to earnestly ask everyone around the country and in other countries to eat and drink products from the Tohoku region. That is the most supportive thing you can do for us.

We of the Tohoku region will not lose to this. We absolutely will prevail. We will rise again like a phoenix, so please support us.” Please join us in raising a glass of delicious Tohoku saké in support of our Japanese family and friends. We introduce a few favorites below.

ICHINOKURA “ACE BREWERY”

Brewery: Ichinokura (est. 1973) Region: Miyagi Type/Polish Ratio: Junmai Tasting Notes: Earthy, grassy fragrance. Quiet impact, with solid acidity and underlying sweetness.

Straightforward, with slight earthiness and an unassuming, almost feminine presence.

NANBU BIJIN “SOUTHERN BEAUTY” Brewery: Nanbu Bijin (est. 1915) Region: Iwate SMV: +1 Type/Polish Ratio: Junmai Ginjo Tasting Notes: Amber tint with strawberry and raspberry aromas. Big, round, thick and balanced. Honeylike sweetness with slight ginger spice on the edges and finish.

IZAKAYA 居酒屋 TORIAEZU beer!

?!

What kind of Beer is TORIAEZU beer?

She is saying “I’ll start with beer”.

That is a pretty common way to order the “1st” beer in Japanese.

I’ll have TORIAEZU beer!!

That will be your “5th” beer...

TSUKINOWA YOINOTSUKI “MIDNIGHT MOON”

Brewery: Tsukinowa (est. 1886) Region: Iwate SMV: +4 Type/Polish Ratio: Daiginjo Tasting Notes: Amber coloring, with notes of honey in aroma and taste.

An element of depth in the earthy, caramel sweetness. Complex and quiet, soft and melting. Brewed in Johnnie’s Japanese “hometown” by one of his former English students!

Ganbatte Tohoku, and Kanpai!

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

IZAKAYA in WALLINGFORD

1618 N 45th St Seattle, WA 98103 Tel: (206) 632-7010 issian-seattle.com www.ibukimagazine.com 25

TRAVEL

Traditional Inns in Tohoku Open Doors to Those in Need

By Steve Corless

Photo © JNTO

Matsushima is one of the most famous spots in Miyagi. After the tsunami hit, people in the town have been doing their utmost to clean up the beautiful beaches.

S

everal days before the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, I had the pleasure of spending a night at one of Miyagi Prefecture’s most delightful ryokan traditional inns. Gaga Onsen is nestled high in the snow-covered mountains of Miyagi Prefecture. Although the ryokan is about an hour’s drive from the city of Sendai, this ryokan is a world away from the hustle and bustle of modern Japan. Our brief stay was a wonderful escape for body and soul.

I recently spoke with the sixth-generation proprietor of Gaga Onsen, Mr. Hiroyuki Takeuchi. I was pleased to learn that his family and ryokan staff are well, and the property, which needed only minor repairs, has reopened. Many of the first guests to return are regular customers from Tokyo and other parts of the country who wish to visit their favorite ryokan and by doing so support the economic recovery of the region they have become so fond of from previous visits.

Gaga Onsen and several other ryokan are collaborating on a program to transport their therapeutic natural hot springs water by truck to evacuation centers where it is reheated, providing mobile hot baths for evacuees. Following a soothing bath, evacuees receive a massage by professional massage therapists who donate their time and skills. Mr. Takeuchi says that he hopes their efforts will be helpful in relieving some of the stress and anxiety the victims are enduring.

The Takeuchi family considers its ryokan to be an integral part of the community and environment. The ryokan’s many regular guests visit not only for the soothing and therapeutic hot springs, the clean

26 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

mountain air and surrounding natural beauty, but also the fine meals served here. Local vegetables and rice grown by family members of the ryokan staff are served here, and the cuisine is true to the unique style of this region of Japan.

Mr. Takeuchi welcomes visitors from all over the world. “For a truly memorable and authentic cultural experience, I encourage travelers to visit the more remote places, away from the cities and well-traveled tourist destinations,” he says. “Although our ryokan is in the mountains and far from the city, our location and environment offer the visitor the opportunity to delve a bit deeper into our culture and experience firsthand the unique culture of Japan as well as our region’s customs, history and local cuisine.” I heartily agree.

Sakan Ryokan, located about 30 minutes from downtown Sendai, has also been supporting recovery efforts. The hot springs here have a history that spans more that 1,000 years. The family of proprietor Mr. Kanzaburo Sato has owned the ryokan for 34 generations. Although the ryokan did suffer some damage, Sakan is currently hosting 300 My wife, daughter and Gaga Onsen owner Mr. Take uchi. relief workers who are staying at the property. Many local

Photo © Sakan Photo © Gaga Onsen

Gaga Onsen is nestled high in the snow covered mountains of Miyagi.

residents have no gas or water services, so Sakan has opened its baths to the public, welcoming more than 500 people per day. The ryokan also opened its hot-springs baths to people staying at shelters who traveled to the ryokan by bus arranged by the city of Sendai.

“It was very fortunate that we had minimum damage to our buildings.

Thanks to all the recovery workers, we restored all the life lines we need for our business by now,” said Mr. Kanzaburo Saito, the 34thgeneration owner of Sakan. “It is our responsibility to do our best for the recovery and support the community. The reason is simple. We still have our lives, which is fortunate for myself and all of our employees and the remaining buildings and hot-spring facilities. We have to do it when we consider that there are so many people who lost their own lives, families and everything they had.”

Print media and especially video reports of the earthquake and tsunami tend to paint a bleak and depressing picture of the situation in Japan today. However, speaking with those who have experienced the disaster and who are now focusing on recovery and rebuilding, I am inspired by their resilience, determination and the unique Japanese communal spirit of collaboration and cooperation. If you are traveling to Japan in the future, consider a visit to Tohoku; what better way to support the economic recovery and experience firsthand the inspiring story of recovery and rebuilding?

E Z CHAIR BARBER

Photo © Sakan

A standard guest room (top) and Natori bath room (bottom) at Sakan.

Gaga Onsen http://www.gagaonsen.com 1 Gaga, Maekawa, Kawasaki-machi, Shibata-gun, Miyagi | (81) 224-87-2021 Sakan http://www.sakan-net.co.jp Yumoto Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi | (81) 223-98-2233

Steve Corless is an independent travel consultant based in

Seattle. Steve spent 15 years in Japan working in sales and marketing and as a US foreign service officer in Tokyo and Osaka.

He lives in Lynnwood with his wife and daughter.

Aisha

Medical Dental Building 509 Olive Way, Suite 1201, Seattle (206) 621-9494 | aishainfo.com

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12121 Northup Way #210, Bellevue Tel: (425) 702-9900

Hair & Pedicure For Men Walk-ins Welcome!!

Try Japanese style eyelash perm Anti-aging facials, Therapeutic massage, Body detoxification wraps, La Hot Stone Therapy, Eyelash perming, and more.

“A heaven hidden within steps of Westlake Center” www.ibukimagazine.com 27

Lifestyle

MOVIES FASHION PLACES & MORE

Fashion Global Influences: Anar Couture

Gadget The Art of Telling Time: Tokyoflash

The modern world is a cultural melting pot, with people continually inspiring and drawing ideas from one another. At fashion studio Anar Couture, that sentiment is on full display. Iranian-born designer Rana Ghezelayagh fuses her collections with Persian culture and sensibilities from other parts of the globe. Ghezelayagh trained at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Seattle, and she approaches fashion with the idea that women can dress themselves to feel feminine and confident without revealing too much.

Last year, she showcased her ready-towear collections of stylish trench coats and jackets at Seattle Fashion Week and Portland Fashion Week. And in early 2011, she debuted her new accessories line, Chic with Silk. The collection features scarves, belts, wraps, capes and ponchos that are Photos © Anar Couture fashion forward yet functional and draw not only from the Middle East but from Japan as well. Ghezelayagh re-imagines a traditional ankle-length kimono into a contemporary top ($129), and she reinterprets the customary obi into a trendy double-sided belt ($49). Made from luxurious silk, cozy wool and soft suede, pieces are fully reversible and can be worn with anything­— from a sophisticated pencil skirt to laid-back jeans—to go easily from daytime business meetings to evening get-togethers out on the town.

When it comes to fashion, Anar Couture has apparently caught on to the global trend. Chic with Silk by Anar Couture is available at AnarCoutureFashion.etsy.com. For more about Anar Couture, visit anar-couture.com.

Written by Angela Cabotaje

Tokyoflash Japan thinks the practice of telling time has become a little stagnant, so they’re injecting it with some life and turning it into a real form of art. Founded in 2000, this Tokyo-based company creates cutting-edge watches that combine the latest in technology with one-of-akind designs. These timepieces are for those who appreciate a unique style and don’t mind people stopping them on the street to ask, “Where did you get that watch?”

Each of the dozens of Tokyoflash watches has a specific way to display time. The Denshoku, for instance, has bars that light up to signal hours, S-Mode Oberon 10-minute blocks and individual Photo © Tokyoflash minutes. Others, such as Hanko, indicate time with LEDs that flash in specific areas on the watch’s face that correspond to numbers on a clock. One of Tokyoflash’s newest releases, S-Mode Oberon, tells time in a combination of the two ways.

Its design features a black mineral lens, a stainless-steel case and bright LEDs for a super-sleek and edgy look. To tell time, simply push a small button on the side. White LEDs on the outer ring light up in the same position as numbers on a traditional clock face to indicate hours. A second ring stands for individual minutes, while the inner ring shows minutes in groups of 10. Tokyoflash is constantly developing new designs to create more unique and fun ways to see what time it is. To find out more, visit tokyoflash.com.

Written by Angela Cabotaje

Car MAZDA3 named “Top Safety Pick”

Music Songs for Japan

The 2011 Mazda3 was recognized as a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mazda3 received the organization’s highest possible crash safety rating of “Good” in all four tests conducted. “Nearly half of all Mazdas sold in the United States are Mazda3s, so we are justifiably proud of the 2011 Mazda3 earning the distinction of the IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick,’” said Jim O’Sullivan, President and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO).

“Both the sedan and hatchback models are recognized with this award, examples of Mazda’s dedication not only to producing engaging and fun-to-drive vehicles but those offering the utmost quality and safety.” Vehicles receive ratings based on results from the Institute’s evaluations on front, side and rear impact crash tests as well as a roof strength test (implemented in 2010), which measures occupant protection in the event of a rollover. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion specific to each crash angle and the injury impact on crash test dummies positioned within the vehicles at the time of collision. Only vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) are eligible for testing.

28 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

Top Music Artists Offer to Help Japan

A full 38 chart-topping hits by the most well-known names in music make up this charity compilation.

Fans worldwide are adding to the effort by buying the iTunes version and CD, making it a colossal fundraising success. The star-studded compilation was released to raise funds for disaster relief after an earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan on March 11. Artists waived their royalties and the four major labels are donating their proceeds to the Japanese Red Cross Society. With tracks by Adele, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, U2, John Lennon and Lady Gaga, the album quickly became a runaway hit. The CD version was released on April 4. The album shot to No. 1 in 18 countries including the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Sweden and Japan.

Book Banana Yoshimoto The Lake Banana Yoshimoto, the Japanese writer known for her quiet, unpretentious prose and cast of odd characters, has returned with a nuanced and mysterious new work.

The Lake is an account of a young woman, recently arrived in Tokyo and pursuing a new artistic career following the death of her mother.

In the midst of Tokyo’s pervasive anonymity, she somehow finds herself connecting with a young man, her neighbor across the street, both of whom notice each other while staring out of their respective windows. The The Lake - By Banana Yoshimoto connection leads to romance and the $23.95 at Kinokuniya Book Store young woman begins to uncover clues regarding the life and past of her new lover — childhood trauma, friends leading a monastic life on the shore of a lake, a possible connection to a religious cult (similar to Aum Shinrikyo, the real-life cult that committed the gas attacks in Tokyo’s subway system).

While often dealing with the ephemeral quality of life, in the end, this is a moving and hopeful account of the romance between these two young lovers. The Lake is Yoshimoto’s 13th book and will certainly do its part to keep alive “Banana-mania,” the term coined for the excitement surrounding her debut novel Kitchen. The translation is handled skillfully by Michael Emmerich, well known for his translations of Yasunari Kawabata’s work. The publisher, Melville House, has announced that a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to Japan Disaster Relief. Written by Josh Powell

1032 106th Avenue NE, Suite 123, Bellevue, WA 98004 (425) 455-4063 | www. mikihouse-usa.com PARIS MILAN NEW YORK KIEV SEOUL HONG KONG BEIJIN TAIPEI TOKYO

Photography Shadows of a Fleeting World If you’re a photography aficionado, you may be familiar with the Pictorialist movement. Popular in the early 20th century, this approach was influenced by Japanese composition and Western Impressionism, often capturing the effects of transient light through soft-focus. What you may not know is that in early 20th Century Seattle, Japanese-American members of the Seattle Camera Club were some of the most skillful practitioners of Pictorialism, blending Shadows of a Fleeting World its methods with Japanese aesthetics.

By David F. Martin While all early members of the club $23.95 at Kinokuniya Book Store were male and of Japanese descent, they soon welcomed female and Caucasian members.

With the arrival of the Great Depression and Japanese-American internment during WWII, the work of the Seattle Camera Club largely fell into obscurity. This new book, from the University of Washington Press, brings these photographers and their work back into public light and offers a glimpse not only of the increasing prevalence of fine-art photography at the time, but of Japanese-American history and early 20th Century history in general here in Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest. Written by Josh Powell

This summer: a very special Seattle cookbook

www.ibukimagazine.com 29

Local News and Events EVENTS Songs for Japan Benefit Concert

Fund-raising Dinner with The Sushi Chef Dream Team

Susan Osborn and top Seattle area artists join together

Sushi chefs gather to support Japan

When: Saturday May 14, 7:30pmWhere: Seattle Unity Church Sanctuary 200 Eighth Ave. N. Seattle Admission: $15 in advance; $20 at the door

When: Thursday May 5, 6:30 p.m. General Admission Where: Bell Harbor International Conference Center - Elliott Hall Admission: $175-$200

Top Seattle area artists will join together to present a special benefit concert honoring the people and music of Japan. Conceived by award-winning singer/songwriter Susan Osborn, who has been touring, recording and teaching in Japan for over 21 years, the concert will bring Susan together with Seattle area musicians such as master jazz pianist Overton Berry; guitar virtuoso Andre Feriante; Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist Nancy Rumbel; and jazz bassist extraordinaire Jeff Davies. The ongoing catastrophe in Japan prompted Susan to initiate a series of benefit concerts to raise funds to be sent directly to the people of Sendai, the epicenter of the earthquake and tsunami. Her connection with Sendai goes deep.

After several performance tours to Sendai City, her unofficial Japanese hometown, she adopted a Japanese “ mother,” 83-year-old butoh dancer Tokiko Oyama. Oyama-san’s family has operated a hospital in Sendai and is deeply connected to the community. The donations will be sent through her “mother” directly to the people of Sendai through Helping Hands Japan.

The Sushi Chef Dream Team will gather on May 5 for a benefit supporting the relief efforts of Peace Winds America and Peace Winds Japan.

All proceeds will be sent for immediate use by the Japanese tsunami and earthquake victims. The Sushi Chef Dream Team members include Taichi Kitamura of Sushi Kappo Tamura, Hiro Kirita of Chiso, Shiro Kashiba of Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant, Ryuichi Nakano of Kisaku, Hideaki Taneda of I Love Sushi at Lake Union, Billy Beach of Japonessa and Yoshiaki Nishizawa of Shun. These great chefs have come together in response to the devastation in Japan to create this unique, not to be missed event. The evening will include signature dishes from our Dream Team Sushi Chefs as well as local favorites Daisley Gordon of Campagne, Tamara Murphy of Elliot Bay Café and Seth Caswell of Emmer & Rye. Dessert creations will be provided by Hiroki Inoue, Setsuko Pastry and Fumie’s Gold. There will also be wine and sake offerings, a live jazz performance from the Thomas Marriott Quartet and a silent auction.

Mother’s Day Ikebana Exhibition

Hawaiian Week at Miyabi Restaurant

Art of Japanese flower arrangement for mothers

Live music and special Hawaiian menu

When: Saturday May 7, 9am-6pm / Sunday May 8th 9am-5pm Where: Swansons Nursery Seminar room, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle Admission: Free

When: June 12-19 Where: Miyabi Sushi Restaurant, 16820 Southcenter Pkwy, Tukwila

Members of the Sogetsu school of modern ikebana in Seattle will hold their Annual Mother’s Day Ikebana Exhibition on May 7th. Bring your mothers and enjoy the Japanese art of flower arranging. For further information, visit www.IkebanaByMegumi.com or call Megumi Schacher: 425-744-9751.

Aloha! Miyabi Sushi on the Southcenter Parkway will hold Hawaiian Week on June 12-19. Come enjoy live music and a special Hawaiian menu including loco moco, Spam sushi and Hawaiian BBQ. Miyabi is currently donating 5% of sales to the Japan Red Cross.

NEWLY OPENED

News Congratulations to Participants in the 28th Annual Japanese Speech and Skit Competition!

The 28th Annual Japanese Language Speech and Skit Contest for High School Students was held on March 25th. The annual contest has been very successful, drawing over 120 student participants and more than 500 spectators. This year’s winner of Level 4, the most skilled division, was Nolan Bunes from Shorewood High School. Jennifer Kim of Kamiak High School placed second and Jeeso Lim of Skyline High School placed third. The first-place prize for the level 4 skit contest went to “Bratty Princess,” performed by Shorecrest High School’s Jeffrey Thompson, Phung Tran, Sage Alexander and Daniel Lizarraga.

There were too many winners and great participants to list here, so please check the contest’s website for a full list of the results. http://www.hyogobcc.org/ speechandskit/ 30 息吹 ibuki May / june 2011

Genki Sushi Factoria The New Genki Sushi store has opened inside of the Factoria Shopping Mall. There are often long lines of South Bellevue residents. Located at B-4, 4055 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue | 425-747-7330

New Location for Kiku Sushi Kiku Sushi has relocated to Northup Way from its former location next to the old Uwajimaya Bellevue store. Visit the new store with its nicer and larger interior, and enjoy Hara-san’s delicious sushi, bento lunch and Nagasaki champon ramen. Located at 13112 NE 20th St #200, Bellevue , tel (425) 644-2358

Rock Box — Karaoke rooms and bar

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！ Photos © Rock Box

For many, karaoke conjures thoughts of dive bar contests or that machine begrudgingly pulled out for office parties. Perhaps belting your favorite ballad in the shower is a great way to sing the blues, but the thought of a repeat performance in front of the general public may just make you lose your voice. No need for performance anxiety at Rock Box, Capitol Hill’s chic answer to the pastime synonymous with Japanese pop culture. Inspired by the extremely popular pay-bythe-hour karaoke box establishments all over Japan, this beautifully designed club featuring 11 private rooms, a large party room and a full bar opened late last year in the Pike-Pine corridor. It is quickly rising to the top of the neighborhood’s nightlife to-dos. Enjoy a cocktail and some inspired fusion small plates while you peruse the phonebooksized song guides for tunes in over a dozen languages, find your muse, enter your selection, grab a microphone and go. Private rooms accommodate up to about 15 guests and 35 or more for the party room. To ensure that your entourage can eat, drink and sing to your hearts’ content, it’s highly recommended to call ahead for a reservation.

Located at 1603 Nagle Place, Seattle, tel 206-302-7625.

Info: http://www.rockboxseattle.com

“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

TOFU HARAJUKU OISHII SHOCHU YAKITORI UMAMI KUSHIYAKI TO OTAKU SAKE KAWAII MAIKO IZAKAYA RAMEN PONZU NABE DA

NEXT ISSUE

New Uwajimaya Bellevue Store

Coming July1st

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The new Uwajimaya Bellevue store opened on March 25th, 2011.

“The new store is 50% larger than the old store,” Uwajimaya said in its press release, but it looks even larger with its high ceiling and nice interior settings. “One of Uwajimaya’s missions is educating local customers about Asian cuisine and cooking. Utilizing this new store, we will plan in-store cooking demonstrations more often,” said Store Director Hiroshi Hino. There is a large sashimi counter, where the fish department staff will slice fresh sashimi right in front of customers. The sake section also became bigger with many premium sake selections.

The new Uwajimaya Bellevue store will definitely be the top destination for East side foodies. Located at 699 120th Avenue Northeast, Bellevue tel (425) 747-9012

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