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2011 SEPTEMBER vol. 05
FREE
QR Quality Review
Shock-resistant Smartphone “G’zOne IS11CA” 匠 TAKUMI Vol. 4
QUALITY REVIEW SPECIAL
The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept
A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin
Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure
Technology to Purify Groundwater
Interview
Hanayo
［FEATURE］
A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer
Shaved Ice, Japanese Style eng.jqrmag.com
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2 011 September
C O N T E N T S September 2011(distributed 8.8, 2011)
NEW OPENING
05 Japanese Restaurant Seizan JQR REPORT
Photograph (Spread)/Susumu Nagao
07 Following 3/11 The Great East Japan Earthquake: a volunteer’s Disaster Reconstruction Report
A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer
Shaved Ice, Japanese Style
09
Inter view
16
Hanayo
TAKUMI From the Workshops
匠 of Monozukuri Manufacturers Vol.4
28
Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure
Technology to Purify Groundwater
● Wellthy Corporation
We asked smartly dressed passersby how they are feeling right now.
32
STREET SNAP
34
Continuing serial［Essay］
37
In Praise of Fine Sake
Japan and Me: The Modern is in the Traditional Francoise Morechand, Essayist
QUALITY REVIEW
Shock-resistant Smartphone
20 “G’zOne IS11CA”
QUALITY REVIEW SPECIAL
Junmai Ginjo
Kakurei
22 Shozo Izuishi Selection
Gohyakumangoku
The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept
A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Jun Shinozuka
Syozou Izuishi ［Fashion Critic］
JQR editorial department
Editors
Jun Nakaki
Editorial Committee
Tanehide Egami ［Executive Producer, Ecole De Cuisine Egami］
Kyoko Ohtsu
Shinichi Hanawa ［Joint Representative Director Ramsar Network Japan］
2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-2270
Maki Taguchi
Ryuichiro Matsubara ［Economist, Professor at the University of Tokyo］
Yoko Yagi
Humio Maruyama ［High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency］
Hikaru Nozawa
Yumi Yamaguchi ［Travel Writer］
Dai Furusawa
Additional Editing
High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency
Fashion Director
Souta Yamaguchi
Planning
Integral Corp.
Web Director
Tokuhisa Maruyama
Editing
Digital Lights Inc.
Designer
Wakako Kawasaki
Translation
Manabiya Inc.
JQR advertising department
2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-4488
eng.jqrmag.com 2 011 September
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2 011 September
Seizan Photography/ Susumu Nagao
Text/ Hayato Nakatsuki
MENU
URL
http://seizan-mita.com/
The soup in the photo contains a dumpling of pen shell (tairagi) and green soybeans (edamame). The base components of clear, richlyflavored stock and dumpling are complemented by tiger prawn and wild chervil (mitsuba), ginger and Kaga cucumber, a combination that allows diners to savor the flavor of each individual, irresistible ingredient.
Seizan has seating for eight at the counter, and twelve at tables. A semi-private room is available for parties of six or more (minimum of 15,000 yen food order per person). Diners can choose from three twelve-dish set menus, priced at 7,000, 10,000 and 15,000 yen. A la carte options will be available from August.
MAP
MENU
Hibiyad
a-Dori
岩戸観音堂
Keio University
Mita 2-chome
d
ra
ku
Sa
i
or
定山源泉 公園
Mita 3-chome
Japanese restaurant
a-D
長寿と健康の 足つぼの湯
Mita
Keio University Main Gate
Mita 4-chome
Tamachi Station West Exit
SEIZAN
Tamachi Station
Eight minutes on foot from JR Tamachi Station, Mita Exit; five minutes from Exit A3 at Mita Station on the Toei Mita Line; eight minutes from Exit 2, Shirokane-takanawa Station on the Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line. Seizan is located on the first basement floor of a building on the street running from Mita 4-chome to Sannnohashi.
Up-and-Coming Chef Offers Youthful Promise The Japanese restaurant Seizan opened this April in Mita, Tokyo. Proprietor Haruhiko Yamamoto may be young at just thirty-one, but commands a range of skills acquired from twelve years of training at Gifu's renowned Takada Hassho kaiseki restaurant. When it came to opening his own establishment, Yamamoto was keen to emphasize the performance element of food preparation. This led him to install his grill facing the front entrance, and place chopping boards just over the counter. All in aid, he says, of allowing customers to view the chef at work before enjoying the results: a challenge made tougher by the day-to-day difference in ingredients, and the task of constantly maintaining at every step
湯の滝
中山峠
→
This Month’s New Opening
定山渓観光協会
Because Seizan sources only the finest seasonal foodstuffs, menus are not compiled until the restaurant has taken delivery of the day's ingredients. The photo here shows abalone udon, comprised of udon ※ noodles entwined with abalone liver and accompanied by steamed abalone and sea urchin. The abalone is from Okinoshima, and was landed at the Tottori seaport of Sakaiminato.
—from ingredient handling to final plating up—the kind of suspense that will impress customers and keep them coming back for more. For the customer, however, watching the chef's various postures and gestures, the skillful way he wields his knives, and the seasonal fish cooking fragrantly over charcoal all help to make a visit to Seizan entertaining as well as a taste revelation. Yamamoto decides the offerings for the day according to the ingredients delivered: thus the absence of a menu. Picking the ingredients personally, he prepares them using the method that will draw out their flavors to optimum effect. “Nothing gladdens a chef's heart more than to have a customer make their next booking as they leave,” notes Yamamoto. And it would seem that this keen young chef's cooking is already enticing many to do just that.
Seizan Grande Mita Bldg. B1F, 2-17-29 Mita, Minato-ku Tokyo TEL: 03-3451-8320 12:00-13:30 (last order) 17:30-21:30 (last order) Open most days. 2 011 September
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from ISHINOMAKI The Great East Japan Earthquake: a volunteer’s Disaster Reconstruction Report
Following 3/11 Photography and Text/Julian Ross
［NO.2］
The tsunami has reduced people’s lives to rubble. Their struggle to remove piles of debris and rebuilt their lives continues.
This was my third weekend as a volunteer. We drove
We collect tools from the warehouse – spades,
up on a Friday evening and set up tent in the early
wheelbarrow, crowbars, scrapers, and 200 rubbish
hours of Saturday morning on the athletics field of
bags, and we will fill most of them. We find the
Senshu University, from where the main volunteer
house, with the 75-year-old lady looking forlornly at
relief operation for Ishinomaki, population 150,000
the destruction. She has walked from an evacuation
before March 11, is being run.
center to meet us this morning. We use crowbars to prise open swollen wooden cabinets and drawers.
The campsite is home to a fascinating collection of
Seawater bursts out onto the floor, revealing
volunteers. They are not your ordinary salarymen.
beautifully wrapped kimono, now worthless. Sodden
Ponytails, earrings, brightly colored clothes,
photo albums, children’s stuffed toys, memorabilia
individualism. Students, freeters, unemployed, self-
from her youth. “Out. I won’t use it now anyway.
employed, and others who have dropped everything
Throw it away.” Within the space of one morning, we
to come here and help.
do just that. Throw this woman’s life out onto the street, where it joins towering piles of other people’s
As the weeks go by, the campsite becomes
lives. It is utterly heartbreaking.
increasingly international. There is a large team from Sri Lanka, who witnessed the effects of the Sumatra
By three months after the disaster, the nature of the
tsunami in 2004. In stark contrast, there is Bill from
volunteer work has changed. Those houses that have
Hawaii, who has come alone and is living under a
not been ripped in their entirety from the foundations
primitive plastic shelter for three months. Peace Boat
now have signs – “scrap me” or “keep me” – for the
has a highly organized contingent of 100 volunteers,
wrecking machines are stalking the area, tearing
on a weekly rotation. And the Church of Scientology
down houses that cannot be salvaged. The hotels
has sent a dozen volunteers; whatever some might
that have reopened are filled with construction
think of their “Church”, these young people are on
workers from across Japan. And therein lies
the ground, providing valuable support to the
contention. Some people complain that these outside
evacuees.
workers take paid jobs away from the local firms that remain. Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers are now
Most of the organizers are young. They are not
cleaning mud from roadside drains, which is the job
professionals, but these young people have matured
of the city office.
far beyond their age in a matter of weeks. After registration at 8:30, the organizers shout out for
There is no correct answer. The scale and cost of
volunteer teams, anywhere from 5 to 20. We get
the disaster are unprecedented, and the more hands
given an address, a simple map, and an outline of
that help, the sooner evacuees can move out of
the situation. “75-year-old lady, single, all furniture,
school gymnasiums and start rebuilding their lives.
clothing, 40 tatami mats, debris, mud.”
These Tohoku people are tough, and rebuild they will.
Julian Ross
Julian Ross has lived in Japan since 1990 and works as a freelance technical editor. (When not working, he can usually be found hiking in the mountains with his dog, also from the UK.) 2 011 September
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2 011 September
A Delightful Cooling Food Ideal for Summer
Shaved Ice, Japanese Style
ge from n a r s r to Flavo en tea e r g a h matc fresh d n a e m plu ts. Som i u r f l a season made from n are eve e. l ic natura
Shaved ice (kaki-gori) is a quick remedy for the overheated body. Though deceptively simple in terms of ingredients – the basic ingredients are shaved ice with some syrup poured on top – kaki-gori delivers a surprising depth of flavor. This article will give you a glimpse into Japan’s unique and varied kaki-gori culture, which is underscored by painstaking efforts towards excellence by traditional confectionary shops and sweet parlors.
S H A V E D A L A J A P A N E
I C E S
E
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Kaki-gori
A millennium-old dessert, which even Sei Shonagon and Murasaki Shikibu fell in love with Kaki-gori melts away even as it is served. It is surprising to discover that this ephemeral gem was invented long before the age of iceboxes and refrigerators. Records show that a dish of shaved ice with syrup poured over it made its debut as early as the Heian Period (circa 792-1190 A.D.). Sei Shonagon also described it in her Pillow Book. Here’s a brief history of kaki-gori, along with some tips on making superb kaki-gori. Text: Hikaru Nozawa; Drawings: Itaru Mizoguchi
Sake on the Rocks, circa 500 A.D.
Shaved ice enjoyed by Sei Shonagon about 1000 years ago Syrup made from liana
Japanese love affair with ice spans over 1600 years
Natural ice brought in from a himuro ice cave
Everyone craves something cool to help cope with the heat on a hot summer day. Around 1000 years ago during the Heian Period, Sei Shonagon wrote about shaved ice in her diary, the Pillow
Metal bowl
Book, listing “shaved ice with syrup presented in a silver bowl” as one of her favorite “elegant things.” Her kaki-gori is the oldest recorded kaki-gori in Japan, and it was made by shaving precious ice stored in a himuro imperial ice cave in the mountains during winter and transported to Kyoto to serve the imperial court during summer. It was flavored with liana syrup. About 1600 years ago the Imperial Court set up a system of stocking ice in mountainous regions in winter and offering ice to the emperor and the imperial court as a summertime luxury. The Chronicles of Japan, one of the oldest books on the history of
Drawing by Bigot depicting everyday life in Tokyo, circa 1890s Geisha Shavings are put in a glass container and scoped up…with a spoon!
Japan, mentions “immersing the ice transported from the ice cave in a cup containing Sake and savoring it under a midsummer moon” – the very first mention of a “on the rocks” serving in Japan. The Tale of Genji also depicts a scene in which ice was served to young people to help them cool off in hot weather. Natural ice was a luxury enjoyed only by the nobility – something that commoners could only dream of. Fast forward to 1862, when a shrewd businessman named Kahei Nakagawa started shipping natural ice produced in Goryokaku in Hokkaido to Tokyo and launched mass-marketing of his ice under the brand name of Hakodate Ice. Nakagawa’s venture allowed the common people to enjoy ice for the first time. Georges Ferdinand Bigot, a French artist living in Japan in the 1890s, painted a Geisha tasting kaki-gori. The cotton sign prominently displaying the Chinese character for ice in the painting is the same summer icon that we still see today.
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2 011 September
Manual ice-shaving machine popular in the Taisho-Showa periods The shape of the machine has hardly changed!!
S h a v e d
i c e
Spin the crank with the right hand while adjusting the blade angle with the left hand In the olden days, ice shavings were produced by placing an ice block on a kanna plane and sliding the ice back and forth repeatedly. This time-consuming method is ill-suited for ice shaving as the ice melts as it is being shaved. In the Meiji period, an ice merchant named Hanzaburo Murakami invented the very first ice-shaving machine. Equipped with a rotating blade, this Murakami ice shaver spread across Japan. It was the prototype of the ice shaving machines used today.
Make sure that the “grain” of the ice – nearly invisible lines that are vulnerable to pressures from outside – is facing sideways
Until the early Showa Period, the common practice was serving shaved ice sprinkled with sugar or topped off with sweet red beans. In the post-war period, shaved ice flavored with a wide variety of syrups, such as melon, strawberry and lemon, gained popularity as households were increasingly equipped with home refrigerators, which in turn made ice production a simple task. Today’s colorful kaki-gori took hold around that time. Thus, Japan’s kaki-gori culture was cultivated by its people’s longing for natural ice – a product of the temperature variance from season to season, and was given a framework by the invention of the ice-shaving machine. That is why the Japanese have developed the custom of savoring and appreciating the quality of the ice itself, setting kaki-gori apart from ice cream or sorbet. The evolution of Japan’s kaki-gori is a path far more lengthy than we imagined.
Pour syrup over ice carefully and slowly with a swirling motion so as not to disfigure the shape of the kaki-gori below.
The secret behind perfect kaki-gori: Warming the ice discs before shaving! Each shaved-ice pro has their own method for shaving ice, but there is one secret they all share: They all prime ice discs by “warming” them a bit prior to shaving after bringing them out of the refrigerator. They simply leave ice at room temperatures until the surface becomes sweaty, indicating a certain degree of melting has occurred and the temperature of ice has climbed to between minus 5 and minus 3 degrees centigrade, which makes for perfect ice shavings. Timing is crucial as the ice melts away progressively. Pros need to figure out when customers are likely to order shaved ice to ensure that the ice is in its best condition precisely at the point when the customers ask for shaved ice.
Twirl the bowl under the machine while spinning the crank to create a beautiful mound of paper-thin shavings
Despite the painstaking preparation efforts, the temperature of the ice keeps going up as it is shaved. For this reason, ice-shaving pros typically tweak the blade angle in a very subtle way. Ice shaving is an art in itself, where varied weather and temperature elements need to be addressed correctly and reflected in the shaving techniques to fit the day: coarser shavings on humid days and fluffy ones on cooler days, and so on. Beneath the veneer of the almost identical appearance of different shaved ices, you’ll be amazed at the wide range of flavors and taste sensations kaki-gori offers, thanks to the ingenuity of each shop
Daruma (potbelly) Yama (or mountain) style formed by ladling created by twirling ice shavings into the bowl a bowl
proprietor.
2 011 September
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Instant Body Freezers are Served Here…
Have you had a chance to try kaki-gori this If not, consider the following places. Looking for traditional kaki-gori? Interested in exploring the diverse food-texture universe available by savoring different ice shavings and syrups made from real fruits? Seeking the ultimate in the harmony produced by integrating sweet and chilly sensations? We compiled this list for you by running around Tokyo on hot, humid days.
Photos: Susumu Nagao; Text: Hikaru Nozawa
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DARUMAYA
FUNAHASHIYA KOYOMI
The luxury of natural ice topped off with quality matcha green teapowder
A harmony produced by ice and pulpy fruits bursting with juice
Tokusen Ujikintoki special green tea/red bean paste ￥1,180
Natsu-mikan (a citrus fruit unique to Japan) ￥750
Darumaya serves kaki-gori year-round using natural ice shipped from himuro ice caves tucked away in the mountains. Their unsweetened matcha topping is prepared individually after an order is placed by making koicha thick tea with a chasen bamboo whisk in a chawan bowl. Azuki red beans are ladled on to finish. The sweetness and umami inherent in matcha spread in your mouth as the ice melts and comes into contact with your taste buds. You'll experience very little bitterness because Darumaya’s high-quality matcha is naturally and subtly sweet. Extra toppings include syrup made from wasanbon sugar (+¥200). *Purified ice is used if natural ice supply is depleted.
Funahashiya Koyomi is a relaxing café surrounded by treasured antique furniture. Its natsu-mikan citrus shaved ice comes with specially prepared syrup made by combining sweet syrup and natsumikan preserve. The slightly bitter undertone of the syrup may bring back bittersweet memories of the past. You will love the combination of citrus vesicles bursting in your mouth with flavor and the extremely fine ice shavings. Also popular are Ichigo Miruku (strawberry milk) shaved ice featuring strawberry puree (with miniscule seeds intact for extra diversity in texture) (￥750) and Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) (￥750). The items are available for takeout as well (￥450).
Darumaya
Funahashiya Koyomi
1- 3-6 Jujo Nakahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays (except for August when special schedule is in effect) Tel: 03-3908-6644
5-17-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last order) Open seven days a week Tel: 03-5449-2784
2 011 September
summer?
S h a v e d
IMOJIN
i c e
MITSUBACHI
Refreshing encounter between milk and lemon
Roasted aromas of the ingredients underscored by rich sweet taste
Kori Gyunu (Ice Milk) ￥450
Kori Wazanmai (Ice with three delicacies)650, Shiratama topping (+￥50)
Kori Gyunyu features milk mixed with homemade lemon syrup for added sweetness and tanginess, and is the choice of connoisseurs at this old establishment. The father of the current proprietor came up with this unusual lemon/milk combination for children who didn’t like the taste of milk. You scoop ice and drench it in the yellowish milk before carrying the spoon to your mouth. The moderately tangy flavor of lemon will travel through your nostrils. Imojin was founded in 1912. They still stick to the old recipes of the early Showa period for many offerings including Aisu Monaka (ice cream wrapped in wafer) ¥ ( 110), whose wafer is still made from glutinous rice with no eggs added.
This shaved ice boasts a triple feature of homemade syrup made from roasted soybean powder, sesame ice cream and Ogura red beans. The roasted aroma of the ingredients spread all over your mouth. The Dainagon variety of red beans is shipped from Hokkaido and cooked al dente to the point where you can still feel the firmness of the skin. The taste of the beans themselves is also conspicuous. The silky smooth ice shavings are made from purified natural water. “As long as we put up this signboard that says Kanmidokoro (sweet parlor), everything that ought to be sweet is very sweet here,” says the shop manager. Their richly flavored kaki-gori demonstrates their proud commitment to and love for sweetness. For an extra charge, you can top your kaki-gori with pillow-soft Shiratama rice-flour dumplings.
IMOJIN 2-30-4 Nezu, Bukyo-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-3821-5530
Mitsubachi (main store) 1st Floor, Honey Bldg., 3-38-10 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Open seven days a week Tel: 03-3831-3083
2 011 September
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ori HIGASHIYA
TORAYA KARYO
The refreshingly tangy flavor melts away the heat
Uji syrup made from wasanbon – the syrup of regal magnificence
Umemitsu (shaved ice with plum syrup): ￥950
Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) ￥1260
The shaved ice with homemade plum syrup appeals to ice lovers who seriously need to cool down with potent acid flavor. They shave the ice in front of your eyes – an added treat. Many customers are lured into ordering kaki-gori by the “swooshing” sounds of the machine. Another favorite, Ujikintoki (green tea/red bean paste kaki-gori) (¥950) allows you to experience the bitterness derived from unsweetened matcha green tea juxtaposed with the extreme sweetness of condensed milk. The same menu is also offered at HIGASHIYA GINZA.
Founded in Kyoto during the Muromachi Period more than 480 years ago, Toraya serves Ujikintoki shaved ice featuring matcha green tea syrup that combines wasanbon sugar, (the same wasanbon sugar supplied to the Imperial Family) and the Kyo-noShirabe matcha green tea. The thick green matcha syrup is gracefully absorbed by the ice shavings, creating impressively elegant and yet refreshing aftertastes. Hidden beneath the ice is Shirazarato crystal sugar of extreme purity and whiteness, a regular ingredient in Toraya’s Wagashi confectionary, and Ogura red bean paste prepared specifically as an accompaniment to kaki-gori. Other recommended kaki-gori are Ujimizore served with white azuki bean paste (¥1,260) and Kori Anzu (stewed apricot), which is available only at this Akasaka flagship shop (¥1,155).
ori HIGASHIYA 1st Floor, le bain, 3-16-28 Nishi Azabu Minato-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-5786-0024
Toraya Karyo Tea Room, Akasaka Shop 14
2 011 September
4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last order) on weekdays 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last order) on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays Open seven days a week Tel: 03-3408-4121
S h a v e d
HIMITSU- DO
CAFÉ DINING BAR
i c e
ANGELUS
Attempts to unleash natural fruit flavors to the fullest
Original syrup made from stewed green plums
Himitsu no Ichigo Miruku (Himitsu’s shaved ice with strawberries and milk) ￥500
Ume (Plum) (front) and Mocha (back) ￥500 each
At Himitsu-do, a new venue that opened its doors in May this year, a manual ice-shaving machine is still used. Its Himitsu no Ichigo Miruku comes with light-pink strawberry syrup that contains a generous supply of the Beni-Hoppe variety of strawberries produced in Shizuoka. The strawberries are flash frozen after harvesting, and Himitsu-do uses a low flame to stew the strawberries for an extended time so as not to destroy the vitamin content. This process also allows the sauce to thicken nicely to a pulpy consistency packed with strawberry flavor. The proprietor is eager to extend his menu. You may be pleasantly surprised by new sauces featuring seasonal fruits each time you visit.
Angelus sources its ice from an ice cave in Nikko. Ume shaved ice aficionados swear by Angelus’ original syrup, which is made by stewing green plums, whose delicate tartness and gentle sweetness go extremely well with the texture of the soft-melting natural ice shavings. Angelus serves the type of kaki-gori that only a café would come up with. Its mocha shaved ice, for instance, is doused with rich espresso coffee (¥500). They are planning to roll out a new variation in August, featuring a sweet, preserve-like fruity tomato sauce with seeds left intact for an added texture variation.
Himitsu-Do
Café Dining Bar Angelus
3-11-18 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays Tel: 03-3824-4132 New seasonal items are subject to availability.
1st Floor, Nishikokurega East Tower, 3-35-1 Izumicho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Open seven days a week Tel: 042-312-2403 2 011 September
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Ha n a y o
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2 011 September
Interviewing today’s Japanese to watch Hanayo is a multi-faceted expressive activist in a variety of fields – from geisha trainee to artist, photographer, and musician – active around the world. In this issue of JQR we take a peek at her life and her future plans. Photography & Interview/Maki Taguchi, Hair & Make-up Artist/Akane Yamazaki
Hanayo Although she has the delicacy of a
would be seeking her out. Hanayo
kimono. I said to Kuramata, ‘I honestly
young girl, Hanayo has the sensuality
expressed herself openly and
had my sights set on becoming a
of an adult. She expresses this
discovered the joy of being active. She
geisha, but that world doesn’t exist in
personality through her work and has
performed in a band, photographed
contemporary Japan.’ He replied, ‘It
captured the attention of the Japanese
objects and scenery with a camera
most certainly does!’ Later, after
and international art scene.
that had been handed down to her
finishing my studies abroad I returned
from her father, and appeared in
to life at a Japanese university. But I
school, I was the sort of kid who would
movies. After graduation, she attended
felt something was different. Around
go to Plastics concerts [Ed: techno
an art university where she studied
that time, I happened to walk into a
pop] and classical recitals while
sculpture. But as an active youth, she
cinema showing Nihonbashi and
everyone else was listening to Seiko
soon became restless and bored with
Okuman choja, directed by Kon
Matsuda and the Tanokin Trio [Ed:
her lessons, so she went to Paris to
Ichikawa. I remembered Kuramata’s
pop idols]. Come high school, I left my
further her studies.
words on seeing the geisha appear on
“When I was still at elementary
good friends behind and went off to
“I was shocked to find other kids my
the screen. After the curtains came
school in Ikebukuro. That was the late
age were working to put themselves
down and lights went on, I went over
80s. Ikebukuro was a bustling place; a
through university, and there was even
to Mukojima.”
subculture and underground culture
one student who had defected from a
Mukojima, the area of Tokyo famous
mecca. I would visit its mysterious
neighboring country. This sort of
for geisha. It was after 9:00 p.m.at the
record shops, live music venues, and
lifestyle did not exist in Japan in my
close of the year. when Hanayo went
movie theatres on my way home from
day.”
to Mukojima to take in the sights.
school. I made new friends there and
Concealing her astonishment, she
“The streets at that time of night were
my world gradually expanded.”
began attending a dance school in
usually pitch black, but this was at the
Fanzines and other small-circulation
Paris instead of the art academy. She
close of the year, so everything was
magazines were popular when Hanayo
danced with youths born into circus
all lit up. The geisha were just seeing
was in her first year at high school.
families and felt the desire to do
off their customers. From the eaves
She suddenly began attracting
something typically Japanese. She
among the hanging lanterns, I watched
attention though Joshiko Nama
then encountered a Japanese man,
the geisha with faces painted white,
Tsushin (High school girl live report),
Shiro Kuramata, known the world over
dressed in beautiful kimonos. All I
which she published together with her
as an interior-space designer.
could think was, ‘I can not believe my
friends, and was soon being contacted by people whom she never dreamed
“From an early age, I have always loved Japanese traditional arts and the
eyes. This world really does still exist!’ Five minutes later, the street was pitch 2 011 September
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2 011 September
black again, as though nothing had
and no deadlines. Now, that is a
10,000 years. During these millennia,
happened. I was even more surprised
luxury.”
people have walked through the
than when I traveled overseas. Just
Hanayo captured her daughter and life
region, and their paths became roads.
then, I saw a help-wanted poster
in Berlin in photographs, published
And the Tokyo of today is built upon
looking for dishwashers. On applying,
photo books, and held solo exhibitions.
that base. In this, I feel something like
the okamisan – proprietress of the
She also expanded her musical
the primitiveness of nature. When I
geisha house – said without asking my
activities performing live in numerous
feel history, I feel affection and beauty.
name, “You are a cute one. Come
countries. Last autumn, she moved her
I think that everyone should stop and
back here tomorrow at three.”
base back to Japan after 15 years
think about what Japan is and what it
The very next day, Hanayo began her
abroad.
means to be Japanese. Japan has weathered the ages as an island
training as a geisha in the karyukai
“Japanese nature is beautiful. The
– the flower and willow world of the
classical, refined sense of beauty is
nation, but a lot has changed over the
geisha. She took great pleasure in her
splendid, too. I am drawn to the
last hundred years. Then the Great
training, fascinated by the kimono and
performances of the [geisha] oneesan,
East Japan Earthquake struck. I think
makeup of her oneesan (elder sisters),
and the fact that these traditions have
we should make the most of these
the traditional performing arts –
survived and remain even today. I also
experiences while re-examining
everything. All the while, Hanayo
feel beauty in the passage of time,
Japanese culture, such as delicate
continued to remain active as a
itself. Even when Japanese dancers
handiwork. Actually, I have a feeling
musician and a photographer. But the
and masters of dance have grown old
that I really do not know Japan,
turning point in her life came four
and can no longer dance, they still
because I was raised in Tokyo, entered
years later when she married her
retain their feminine beauty. Come to
the karyukai in my late teens, then
German boyfriend and moved to Berlin,
think of it, I have loved kimono, dance,
moved to Berlin. That is why I want to
leaving the karyukai behind.
and other Japanese traditional things
travel around the country and learn
since I was a child. After my return to
more about the real Japan.”
gave birth to my daughter, Tomoko.
Tokyo, an architect friend said,
From a young age, Hanayo has always
Tokyo is not a city where you create
‘European cities are planned, and
seen herself as a Japanese. Active in
opportunities but mostly receive them.
buildings that ruin the cityscape
Japan and around the world, she has
In contrast, Berlin has wide open
cannot be constructed randomly. The
had various experiences as an
spaces, everyone has time but no
cityscape is beautiful in its
expressionist. Who knows where she
money,” she laughs. “Even so, I liked
consistency.’ But, the topography here
wind up next. We can only wait and
the idea of starting from nothing. There
– the hills and the rivers – has
see.
was no one in particular to work for
probably remained unchanged for over
“I went to a life of no training. Then I
Hanayo Artist, photographer and musician. Born 1970. On quitting university, Hanayo began as an apprentice geisha at Mukojima. At that time, she adorned the front cover of London’s The Face. She also modeled for Jean-Paul Gautier. Her first photo book, Hanayome, was published in 1996. Hanayo moved to Berlin after marrying and developed her career as a performer and photographer in Tokyo, Berlin, London, Paris, Moscow, Hong Kong, New York, Beijing and other cities around the world. She returned to Japan last year. Her photo books include Hanayome (Shinchosha), Doremumumumu…Bukku/Dreammmm Book (Little More), Hanayo Artist Book, (Kawade Shobō Shinsha), Magma (Akaka Publishing), Colpoesen (Utrecht). http://www.hanayo.com/ ● http://www.hanayo.com/
2 011 September
19
QR 1
Equipped with a high-brightness back light, and twin speakers that make incoming calls easy to hear. Back surface features anti-slip embossing.
Quality Review
CASIO G'zOne IS11CA
Shock-resistant Smartphone G’zOne IS11CA Photography/Hiroyuki Kiseki, Reporting/Text/Hikaru Nozawa
standard employed by the U.S.
even feel free to hop on your bicycle
A water, dust, and shock
Department of Defense. The phone will
with the phone in your back pocket.
resistant smartphone
continue to function properly when
To prevent dust from entering, the
that carries on the G-SHOCK
dropped from as high as four feet,
phone features rubber gaskets around
tradition of durability
regardless of the angle. It is also
points of entry like the earphone jack
water-resistant, and can be submerged
and battery cover. The microphone,
Remember G-SHOCK watches? Hugely
for up to 30 minutes to a depth of five
earpiece, and high-volume twin
popular in America in the 1990s, they
feet (at room temperature) without
speakers also use polymer filters,
were shock-resistant enough to survive
water penetrating the inner workings
which are more airtight and provide
a drop from 30 feet. Casio’s G’zOne
—no need to worry about using your
louder volume.
series, featuring superior shock, water,
phone outside on a rainy day. You can
More advanced = less robust. This
and dust resistance, brings that
take it into the bath, and if you drop it
can make buying a new phone a
expertise to the mobile phone.
in the mud, all you have to do is rinse it
tough decision. But now there’s a
According to a survey by Macromill,
off with water.
tough phone that’s up to the task,
nearly 40% of mobile phone owners
The larger displays found on
perfect for people who lead hard-
report they’ve gone through the painful
smartphones raise concerns about their
charging lives.
experience of damaged LCD screens
fragility, but the G’zOne IS11CA display
and data loss due to immersion in
utilizes Gorilla® Glass, a tough glass
water. The G’zOne IS11CA is the first
surface with a high compressive stress
smartphone in the G’zOne series that
layer. This display is surrounded by a
can stand up to these kinds of everyday
magnesium frame, which is then
mishaps.
encased in a plastic bumper, providing
First, the design passed a drop test
a dual layer of protection from shocks
using the MIL standard, a procurement
from top, bottom, left or right. You can
● au Mobile Phone Inquiries: 0077-7-111
20
2 011 September
Buttons on the side designed to provide a solid grip for the thumb. Includes a convenient “Active Key” with shortcuts for calling up frequently-used functions.
In three colors: Red, khaki, and black. CMOS camera offers 8.08 megapixels. Uses the AndroidTM 2.3 platform. 450 minutes continuous talk time. Open pricing.
Gn' ze O e l onoep I S 1 1 C A
2 011 September
21
QR
SPECIAL Selection The Shozo Izushi Selection No. 6
The evolution of bags created by Aero Concept
A Poet Breathes Life into Duralumin
Photography/Satoru Naito
Japan has the custom of 1,000
speedy recovery of their
positive and spiritual effect on the
cranes. Not the actual bird, but
acquaintance, whose face appears
ailing person.
origami cranes – red, yellow, green
in their mind. This is repeated at
The crane is just one example of
and other colors of paper folded into
how the Japanese have fashioned
the shape of cranes. Of course, not
all manner of living and innate
everyone is adept at folding the
objects with origami – literally,
cranes. Nothing is more marvelous
folded paper. Origami is a fun
than a highly skilled person folding
activity for children but also a paper
a tiny piece of paper into a crane
work-of-art. While the origins of
that appears to be alive.
origami are unknown, it enjoys a
This tradition of 1,000 cranes is
long history.
alive and well in the 21st century,
Origami was written in days of old
and are used as presents for
with the kanji character for “shapes,”
convalescing friends or family. The
instead of the character for “paper,”
person folding the cranes prays for
and it was etiquette to wrap gifts
their acquaintance’s quick recovery.
using origami. The art is known to have been practiced in the Heian
The person receiving them contemplates the thousand cranes every day, hoping they recover as soon as possible.
22
The regularly punched rivets on the mirror surface are beautiful
Period (794–1185), so its history spans at least 1,000 years. Being an important part of etiquette,
Belief in 1,000 cranes is probably
least 1,000 times. The thousand
various schools of origami exist,
just superstition, but who knows? As
cranes represent their prayers, and
such as the famous Ogasawara, Ise,
the givers make each crane, they
an invisible power is hidden within
and Kira schools.
say a prayer with every fold for the
them. That power no doubt has a
The original tradition of folding
2 011 September
No two guitar cases are alike, because the size and interior are made to fit the guitar itself. Sample
2 011 September
23
Shoulder cases that excite when slung over the shoulder. Sample
24
2 011 September
A duralumin briefcase with leather accents. Sample
shapes became the game of folding
paper.
craftsman in Tokyo, Sugano was
paper, but origami also had the
Duralumin is the aluminum alloy
engaged in manufacturing aircraft
meaning of a “certificate of
developed and patented by Alfred
components when, over 20 years
appreciation.” For example, when
Wilm in 1903 in the small town of
ago, he faced bankruptcy after the
specialists appraised antiques or
Duren in Western Germany. The
volume of work from his prime
curios, they would attach a
composition of 94% aluminum and
contractor plunged. Sugano says he,
certificate, according to custom,
4% copper with a little magnesium
at one point, contemplated suicide.
folded in a splendid shape (origami)
produces a light material with a
However, Sugano was then inspired
to certify the object was truly
spectacular hardness.
to “create one product that would
superior. Even today, an object with
Nothing is stronger. No metal is
remain as proof to the world that he
“origami attached” signifies a
lighter. Many people probably know
once lived.” The product was an
special, first-class article.
duralumin is used in aircraft. Sugano
attaché case for his personal use,
Aero Concept’s Keiichi Sugano is
is one of many people who fell in
and he no intention of selling it.
famous for working with duralumin
love with duralumin’s special
Since the case was for him, creating
as if it were paper. When Sugano’s
qualities through his work on
it became his hobby. His choice of
hand touches a piece of difficult
aircraft.
duralumin as the main material was
duralumin, it becomes tender, like
A third-generation sheet-metal
a natural one, because he was
2 011 September
25
A light, beautiful travel bag that leaves a durable impression. Sample
26
accustomed to working with it.
on the left. He searches for the
on a table, unlock it with both
Sugano has two methods for
point – the moment – of precise,
hands, lift the lid, take out the
making duralumin lighter and more
horizontal equilibrium. That
documents you need, and close the
like paper. The first is to make the
perfectly kept momentary balance
lid. The moment it shuts, the lock
duralumin sheet as thin as possible.
is what makes Aero Concept bags
mechanism sings with a snap.
The other is to make holes in the
beautiful.
Snap! Sugano says he made it
duralumin. However, paper-thin
Aero Concept bags are pleasant to
sound like the shutter on a
duralumin does not hold a shape,
touch and caress to their smallest
Barnack-model Leica IIIF camera.
so it must be folded over. This is
detail. Even a knob will talk to your
It's no surprise that Fender, makers
undoubtedly duralumin origami.
fingers. This can only be called the
of world famous guitars, would
Sugano’s skill is evident in the fine
aesthetics of touch.
order cases like these for their
balance between lightness and
Even an Aero Concept bag’s sound
instruments. Sugano is the only
strength – like a seesaw with
is beautiful. For example,
poet in the world who breathes
weight on the right and sturdiness
horizontally place the attaché case
fresh life into duralumin.
2 011 September
The latest product is a futuristic shopping basket (top). Sample/A supple tote bag made of metal (bottom right). Sample/A flask-like shoulder case (bottom left). Sample
Shozo Izuishi Born 1944, Izuishi has forged a career as a fashion designer, consultant, and critic. Author of numerous books including Bruu
Jiinzu no Bunkashi (“Blue Jeans: a Cultural History”) (NTT Shuppan). His recent work Suutsu no Hyakka Jiten (“An Encyclopedia of Suits”) (Banraisha) lecturing males on how to wear a suit properly has attracted favorable reviews.
● Enquiries: Aero Concept (http://www.aeroconcept.co.jp) 2 011 September
27
T A K U M I
匠
From the Workshops of Monozukuri Manufacturers V o l
4
JQR Selection of Japanese Skills
Dualizing the water source is an effective anti-disaster measure
Technology to Purify Groundwater
Photography/Susumu Nagao, Interview & Text/Kyoko Ohtsu
Shoichi Fukuda, president of Wellthy Corporation, has a gentle demeanor, but has boldly led the company with carefully planned strategies.
use safe water, as usual. They could
tap when twisted is no longer a
also supply water to nearby
given. Japanese were reminded of
residents and the families of their
this reality on March 11. One
employees.
This system has many other
corporation considered cases in
When the lifelines of electricity,
advantages, such as cost reduction.
which the public water supply could
water, gas, telephones and other
Compared to using only the public
not be used, for whatever reason,
utilities are severed, electricity and
water supply, companies can budget
and has worked to promote the
telephones are usually restored
for a significant reduction in costs
spread of a system that dualizes the
comparatively quickly, but water and
per year, even when including
water source. Wellthy Corporation
sewerage are the slowest to be
installation and maintenance costs.
is the pioneer of the groundwater
restored. From the viewpoint of
When working with local
membrane filtration system.
public hygiene, such as hand
communities and neighborhood
washing and bathing, more
associations, drinking water can be
The groundwater membrane filtration
importance should be placed on
supplied to neighboring residents in
system changes groundwater into
everyone having their own water
times of disaster. By ensuring the
drinkable water using an advanced
supply to maintain their lifestyle.
availability of safe water at all
membrane-filtration technology and
“After the latest earthquake, I am
times, companies contribute to the
provides a stable water supply. The
convinced that we have been
region and also improve their image.
system, which ensures quality water
working in the right direction,”
Fukuda dived into the water
as stipulated in article 50 of the
President Shoichi Fukuda proudly
business 15 years ago. Before that,
Water Supply Act, is maintained
said. That’s only natural because
his company was doing well
once a month and monitored all year
there was little data, until now, to
manufacturing and selling
round. The Wellthy system
support the theory that groundwater
electricity-saving equipment. One
effectively functioned when the
is immune to earthquakes. The 1995
day, a client commented while
water supply was cut off over a wide
Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake
signing the contract on the
area immediately after the Great
struck soon after Wellthy’s system
completion of fitting work, “With
East Japan Earthquake. Hospitals
was developed, so this is the first
this, we are saving electricity. Is
and food companies that had
time the theory was substantiated.
there any way to save gas and
installed the system continued to
28
Installation has multiple merits
The fact that water will pour from a
2 011 September
water?” Within days, Fukuda heard
技
TAK U M I
← Cross section of the membrane, the nucleus of the membrane-filtration system. Each membrane is like a straw. The 0.01-wide pores on the surface of the membrane fiber filter the water that passes through.
→ This one-meterlong device – the membrane – can process 1–2 tons of water per hour. An example of a membrane filtration system (Aso General Hospital)
J Q R
S e l e ct i o n
o f
J a p a n e s e
S k i l l s
2 011 September
29
Groundwater Membrane Filter System Flowchart
Primary filter
Ratio of New Installations
Water receiving tank
Membrane filter
Railway stations & facilities 3% Factories 4% Food factories 5%
Schools Others 7% 3%
Hospitals & nursing homes
Accommodation 8%
Raw water tank
Processed water tank Chemical-feeding tank
Gyms 6%
Water quality monitoring system
Deep well
Source water
Conventional process
Supermarkets 17% Department stores 7%
Ultra-microfiltration (UMF) membrane, advanced processing
24-hour, 365-day monitoring
Groundwater pumped from a deep well is filtered through sand and activated charcoal and then filtered using the advanced ultrafiltration (UF)-membrane process. The membrane also completely removes bacteria and parasites. The safety equipment monitors the process 24 hours a day, all year round.
As at April 2011
Most of the corporations installing the system are facilities that use large volumes of water daily and must be prepared for emergencies, such as hospitals, department stores and hotels. These facilities must ensure a safe water supply to protect the lives of their patients and customers.
Water Cost Reduction Before installation
After installation Amount reduced 2,880,000 yen/year
Water utility cost 12,000,000 yen/year (30,000m3 x 400 yen)
Equipment lease fee/year 4,320,000 yen/year Full maintenance cost 2,400,000 yen/year
the same comment from other
Water utility cost 2,400,000 yen/year
customers, so he searched the library to see if it was possible. He
Paid to the lease company
Paid to Wellthy Paid to the Water Department
The introduction of a system leased for nine years for 30 million yen realized an annual cost reduction of 2.88 million yen (public water supply unit 400 yen/ton, annual use 30,000 tons). * The cost of the system differs depending on negotiations and conditions.
found that only the government was involved in supplying water with no competition. “The field of electrics in which I was involved was highly competitive. Technology was evolving fast and constantly being honed. But one book mentioned that water technology had not advanced for 30 to 50 years due to a lack of competitors.” Fukuda said. discovered that its quality was not
members wanted the research
nearly good enough to meet the
stopped, and they threatened to
Water Supply Act requirements.
resign. It was a trying time,” Fukuda
Before long, the company saw that it
Unlike river water, groundwater
explained. The team leader
was a viable business and decided
contains more heavy metals than
eventually resigned, and Fukuda
to begin research and development
one might expect, making it difficult
himself continued the research and
into groundwater purification. But
to process. Even if the bacteria and
development as team leader.
purifying groundwater for drinking
heavy metals were removed,
The complex system, developed
was nearly impossible.
repeated processing was necessary
after many twists and turns, ended
Water of a high enough quality to
to make it stable enough to supply
up following Fukuda’s own original
supply to people had to clear 48
over prolonged periods.
design.
From electricity to water
criteria as stipulated in the Water
30
“We headhunted water-processing
“It was actually rather difficult.
Supply Act at the time. The well
technicians from other companies
Groundwater processing is
water the Japanese had used
and created a research team. But
challenging, even today. The fact
through the centuries was
the research came to a standstill
our company overcame these
essentially used by everyone at their
when the research team was greeted
obstacles may be the very reason
own risk. But when Wellthy actually
with hostility from the electricity-
we are still in business,” Fukuda
inspected this well water, they
saving equipment team. Team
said.
2 011 September
Other Business Developments
T A K U M I
匠
● Well Thermal Heat Pump The Well Thermal Heat Pump combines ground heat and a heat pump, focusing on utilizing the stable underground temperature, and exchanges energy more efficiently than conventional heat pumps. The pump has a wide variety of uses, such as heating and cooling conventional homes, gyms and agricultural facilities. (The diagram illustrates agricultural use.) Example (when being heated)
From the Workshops of Monozukuri Manufacturers
Plastic greenhouse
Ground-heat heat pump
Heat exchange equipment
The amount of heavy oil used by a boiler can be significantly reduced when using the ground-heat heat pump, reducing both energy consumption and cost.
● Seoale
← Seoale can be carried by hand, pulled, or carried on the back. ↓ [Accessories] Purifier set (primary processing screen, quartz sand filter, activated charcoal filter, UF membrane), replacement paper filters, replacement cartridges (activated charcoal, UF membrane), plastic gloves
Seoale is a compact water-purifying device which is highly effective at purifying river or lake water into emergency drinking water in four stages. The purifier is easily operated using a manual pump, so no electric power is required. Weight: 13kg, external dimensions: H550mm x W380mm x D390mm, purifying capacity: 60l/h.
Faster progress through practical technology
recycling system.
Apart from making groundwater
water safe for drinking, but water
drinkable, Wellthy also has the technology to process water into various qualities depending on its end use. Bountiful rainwater stored in a tank, for example, can be processed into water for watering or washing cars by controlling the water quality. The water, in this case, does not need to be processed to a drinkable quality. Also, factories that discharge large volumes of wastewater can effectively use the water, and cut water and sewerage costs by installing a wastewater
Fukuda declared, “The day is coming soon when people will not only want that suits their tastes and needs, e.g. soft water for the elderly, or water with a high mineral content. We are preparing for the day when each household can create the water they want.” Technology plunges into unexplored worlds and is always advancing.
Wellthy Corporation (Head office)
Kojimachi Crystal City East Bldg., 11F 4-8-1 Kojimachi, Chiyodaku,Tokyo,102-0083 Japan Tel: 03-3262-2431 Fax: 03-3262-2455 http://www.wellthy.co.jp/
2 011 September
31
We asked smartly dressed passersby how they are feeling right now.
Street Snap [Kageyama’s Answers] Q1 Hayao Miyazaki Q2 Air conditioners Q3 Save electricity
□ Name: Anna □ Occupation: Technical college student □ Age: 20 Shirt: H&M Inner shirt: H&M Shorts: American Apparel Shoes: NADIA Sunglasses: American Apparel Bag: CHICAGO
□ Name: Kageyama □ Occupation: Student □ Age: 21 Outer shirt: matohu Inner t-shirt: ohta Shorts: FACETASM Shoes: Bought at a vintage shop Rings: TABOO
32
2 011 September
[Anna’s Answers] Ai Tominaga Q1 Pachinko parlors and video arcades Q2 Q3 I’m more careful about saving electricity.
This Month’s Questions
[Marijera’s Answers]
Q1 Who do you think epitomizes Japanese quality? Q2 What do you think is a waste of electricity? Q3 What was the biggest change within you after the recent earthquake?
Q1 Shu Uemura, Rei Kawakubo Q2 Pachinko parlors Q3 We don’t know if we will die tomorrow, or now, so I want to live life to its fullest, every day.
□ Name: Nao □ Occupation: Retail □ Age: 22 Blouse: snidel Skirt: snidel Necklace: poupee Bracelets: poupee, Tiny Bag: yoshiko Barette: Michel Negrin
□ Name: Marijera □ Occupation: Housewife and Fashion blogger □ Age: 26 Dress: G-STAR RAW Shoes: United Nude Accessories: FENDI Bag: Lancel
[Nao’s Answers] ？ Q1 ？ Q2 I Q3 now save electricity. 2 011 September
33
Japan and Me
-The Modern is in the Traditional-
VOI.
3
Francoise Morechand, Essayist
Dare to be Japanese! While I know I'll never be completely Japanese, after so many years in Japan I have adopted, after my own fashion, certain aspects of how people here live and think. The ultimate example must be the humility I've acquired when discussing my nearest and dearest. Take this instance. Yesterday while lunching in Paris with some French acquaintances, I was asked what I do in Japan, and so gave a brief explanation. I mentioned in passing that it is my Japanese husband Tatsuji Nagataki who translates my articles and books from French into Japanese. And to pay him a slightly understated compliment, I added that while no genius, the old chap does have something of a way with words. My compatriots around the table were horrified. “What a thing to say!” they protested. I felt a need to vindicate myself by explaining further. To wit, in Japan, where I've lived now for almost fifty
Things that are wabisabi
Things that are not wabisabi
Intuitive
Logical
Relative
Absolute
Handmade
Mass-produced
Valuing the here and now
Future-oriented
Adapting to nature
Adapting to technology
Organic (soft forms)
Geometric (forms without ambiguity)
Extolling the virtues of nature
Extolling the virtues of technology
Natural materials (wood, stone...)
Unnatural materials (plastic...)
Becoming more attractive with age
Deteriorating with age (concrete...)
The obviously unfinished (a crooked matcha tea bowl...)
The obviously sleek and smooth (a porcelain teacup...)
Calm acceptance of ambiguity and contradictory elements
Abhorrence of ambiguity and contradictory elements
Warm
Cold
A love of shadow
Overly-bright lighting
Utility not always a priority
Utility as no.1 priority
Non-material things ranking highest
Materiality is the ideal
Tolerance for natural wear and tear and the passing of
Faith in things that don't wear
the seasons
34
years, people place great store on the attitude known as kenson: modesty or humility. For example, a man might refer to his better half as his gusai, literally “foolish wife”, and his child as a “piglet”, even if he believes them to not be the slightest bit stupid or porcine. Having brought up this subject, the discussion turned to the oft-covered territory of honne (what a person is thinking) and tatemae (what they actually say). Now this is a subject big enough to write a book about, and not a few have done just that. Here though I prefer to consider the concept of “wabisabi”, which is underpinned by a sense of impermanence, the notion that everything, living or otherwise, has its time and will pass. Because this too is related to the idea of being humble.
2 011 September
Françoise Moréchand
私と日本
The following are just personal thoughts, but in my view, right now--when the mind-boggling impact of the tsunami has made a people overly proud of their technological sophistication realize that they are just as powerless before the wrath of nature as their ancestors--is the perfect opportunity to take another look at the Japanese idea of wabisabi. And not just in Japan, but all over the planet. Why? Because an emphasis on wabisabi is precisely what we now need in a world that smugly believed everything was controllable. The sensation of wabisabi is hard to explain. Even for the Japanese, who are skilled at picking up unspoken nuances, describing wabisabi is a tall order. So to help you construct a clearer picture in your mind, I'll start by providing a list of what is wabisabi, and what is not. Allow me to give a very specific example of wabisabi in everyday living. A few years ago, I was invited to a tea party at the home of former prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa, a man for whom I have the utmost admiration. He currently lives in a house in
Izu that his maternal grandmother (of the Konoe family) used as a holiday villa. A bookcase occupies one whole wall of the living room, and supporting its shelves are tree branches. While straight enough to serve as vertical pillars, they still have their bark, are gnarled and knotted, and are obviously just tree branches, pure and simple. The kind of wabisabi expressible solely by nature can be breathtakingly elegant. My conclusion is simple. Now that Japan has experienced a nuclear accident; now that the world is beginning to turn to slow food and sustainable energy, this must surely be the moment for Japan to start promoting the wabisabi lifestyle largely forgotten since the Meiji Period, when Japan copied not only the best things about Western civilization, but the worst as well. By doing so Japan can bring a more modest approach to the world: an attitude the world could do with plenty of in a century that has started with so many challenges.
2 011 September
35
36
2 011 September
Sake to Drink From a Wineglass
Aoki Brewery
In Praise of Fine Sake Vol.
5
Junmai Ginjo
Kakurei
Address: Shiozawa 1214, Minamiuonuma, Niigata Telephone: 025-782-0023 http://www.kakurei.co.jp
● ● ● ● ●
Alcohol content: 17~18% ● Seimaibuai (rice milling percentage) 50% Nihonshu-do (Sake Meter Value + dry, -sweet) +2.0 Amino acidity: 0.8 ● Acidity: 1.5 Rice: Gohyakumangoku (with koji and kake-mai) Volume: 720ml ● Price: 1,575 yen (tax inclusive)
Gohyakumangoku
Text/ Kaori Haishi (sake sommelier) Photography/ Susumu Nagao
The Sake that Completely Changed My Image of Echigo Sake
sweetness and umami shoring up the
another good match. With seasoning
sides. The extremely gentle aroma
that’s slightly on the strong side, it cries
would never interfere with the flavor of
out for a chaser. Eat the salmon roe
food. In short, this is a sake with a
straight, or put just a tad on scallop
I still can’t forget the shock of my first
beautiful and dignified expression. You
sashimi to add sweetness to a
encounter with Kakurei. Niigata sake is
can sense in it the robustness of a
consummate balance of flavors. Then
predominantly a crisp, dry, light style of
woman from the bitterly cold snow
luxuriate in the sumptuous spread of
sake that flows like water over the
country region.
flavors across the palate.
Instead of flowing like water, a rice-rich
It has a long reach that goes with any
Kakurei completely changed the image I
umami flavor superbly blended with a
food, but I would suggest trying oysters
had of Echigo sake. I’m sure it will
refined acidity left an intense impression
and roe. The faint sweetness of Kakurei
continue to go out into the world as a
on the palate. Ever since then Kakurei
surrounds the distinctive pungency of
steadfast sake for the times, and not
has become a familiar face and regular
these, while its sourness resets the
betray the expectations of sake lovers.
sight at the table in our house.
palate. Chablis is often said to be a
Numerous fans wait eagerly for
good accompaniment to raw oysters, but
Takafumi Aoki, president of Aoki
The Junmai Ginjo Kakurei
once you’ve tried this pairing there is no
Brewery, to stir up a revolution in the
Gohyakumangoku is one of my favorites
going back. I can also strongly
sake world. Takamori Saigo, the
in the line-up of Kakurei sakes. It has a
recommend this combination from the
historical Meiji restoration figure the
refined acidity that is lovelier than
viewpoint of becoming familiar with the
president takes after, also began a
anything, reminiscent of Muscat of
latent potential of Kakurei. If you’re
revolution, and was known as the last
Alexandria, the queen of grapes. This
eating fish roe, then Niigata Kashimaya
true samurai.
forms the core of its taste, with rice,
salmon roe steeped in soy sauce is
palate. But Kakurei was different.
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