Jqr 2012 14 e by jqrmag

2012 JULY vol. 14

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QR Quality Review

BALMUDA GreenFan Mini

［FEATURE］

Good Food Starts with Tasty Ingredients

In Search of Fresh Vegetables

A new approach to 匠 food production

Planned vegetable production a reality Plant Factory

eng.jqrmag.com

C O N T E N T S April 2012 (published on June 7, 2012 )

05 The Shirano Theater 07 Hiroshi Sawada’s

Theory of Cafe Evolution

08 Good Food Starts with Tasty Ingredients

In Search of Fresh Vegetables

Photos/Susumu Nagao

30 32

Brand Debut!!

Kankororin SPECIAL INTERVIEW

TATUYA ISHII

34 HotPicks What's New 36

Quality Review

BALMUDA GreenFan Mini 匠

Touring the Festivals of Japan

Rinnoji Temple’s Gohan-shiki (rice-forcing) Festival (April 2) is an unusual ordeal in Nikko In Praise of Fine Sake

Yamahana

Junmai Daiginjo

A new approach to food production

Planned vegetable production a reality Plant Factory ● Tamagawa University Research Institute

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Jun Shinozuka

Editors

Jun Nakaki

Editorial Committee

Syozou Izuishi

Tanehide Egami

Christine Lavoie-Gagnon

Shinichi Hanawa

［Fashion Critic］［Executive Producer, Ecole De Cuisine Egami］［Joint Representative Director Ramsar Network Japan］

Dai Furusawa

Ryuichiro Matsubara

Web Director

Tokuhisa Maruyama

Humio Maruyama

Designer

Wakako Kawasaki

Yumi Yamaguchi

［Economist, Professor at the University of Tokyo］

［High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency］

［Travel Writer］

Additional Editing

High-Tech Industry Innovation Agency

Planning

Integral Corp.

Editing

Digital Lights Inc.

Translation

Manabiya Inc.

JQR editorial department

2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-2270 JQR advertising department

2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-4488

eng.jqrmag.com 2012 June

2012 June

er Theat s * o n Shira

場劇乃志ら

eaching T e .3 h t how No olves in S v E o g Raku

hiran awa S Tatek An event called "Girl's Rakugo" was recently held at

was reluctant to do it, but in fact just the opposite was

the Aoyama Round Theater. I appeared, along with

true--I'd actually been hoping for an opportunity like

members of the idol group ºC-ute, including Maimi

this. Our teacher Shiraku calls the process of tinkering

plan was to present a rakugo lesson as entertainment,

with rakugo to make it even better "evolution." He'll

with me teaching the girls rakugo in front of an

even tell audiences "If my rakugo ever stops evolving,

audience. But with a title like "Girl's Rakugo," I

you're welcome to give up on me." That's how

thought it might be even better if we could present a

important this process of evolution is, and Shiraku

full rakugo story during the performance, so I asked

believes it's something that every rakugoka needs

Maimi Yajima to come in for some private lessons

to have when confronting a performance. Evolution

ahead of time, and had her perform a piece called "A

of course in the sense of bringing something new

Tanuki's Bill."

to the game, but also in the sense of understanding

We scheduled three lessons, but I was given

the best of rakugo's traditions, and working hard

shockingly little time to get Maimi ready, with the

to demonstrate those techniques with respect.

first lesson taking place just two weeks before the

For Shiraku, theater became a springboard for

actual performance. I was also careful to keep in mind

accelerating that evolutionary process. He formed his

that a successful performance of rakugo by a member

own theatrical troupe, and directs his own actors, but

of an idol group wouldn't necessarily mean that she

all of that work is eventually reflected in his rakugo.

would be able reel off the story from beginning to end,

As the head of his own troupe, he needs to be able to

just that her fans, staff, and of course Maimi herself

answer any question his actors throw at him, and the

could be happy with the final result.

answers have to be convincing. When it goes well,

When teaching rakugo, we usually sit in front of the

everything's fine, but when it doesn't, a lot of head-

student and perform the entire piece. Once they've

butting can result. But that's fine, too. Giving serious

memorized the piece, we have the student go through

thought to each individual and steering them in the

it from start to finish, pointing out mistakes along the

right direction is tough work, and really taxes the

way, before we give the final okay (or not). Between

mind and body, but once you realize how much you

fellow rakugoka, though, it's generally good enough to

can discover in the process, it's even tougher to quit.

be able to get through the story, and the rest depends

Even though I understood in my head how much

on their own ingenuity once they get up on stage.

Shiraku has gone through to evolve the art of rakugo,

This time was different, though; since Maimi didn't

I think having been put in charge of this "Girl's

even know the basics, there was no way she was

Rakugo" event gave me the chance to experience for

going to be able to bring any "ingenuity" to the effort.

myself, at least a little, the evolution of rakugo. And

In other words, I was going to have to coordinate the

once you know how to evolve your own rakugo, all

entire performance. I know that makes it sound like I

that's left is to do it.

第三席

落語は他人に教えて進化する

Yajima, Airi Suzuki, and Chisato Okai. The original

● Shirano Tatekawa Second-generation apprentice of Danshi Tatekawa. Joined the Tatekawa Shiraku rakugo stable in 1998, advancing to futatsume status in July 2003. This spring determined to win promotion to star performer! Don't miss his Shirano Daisakusen solo shows held regularly every month. Also a subculture aficionado with a regular radio program that allows him to expound exhaustively on this subject."

2012 June

Hiroshi Sawada’s

Theory of Cafe Evolution Vol.9

da e. Hi ros hi Sa wa Osaka Prefectur e artist. Born in turer before Barista and latt a food manufac for d rke wo Sawada ere he was attle, U.S.A., wh at studying in Se urned to his job latte art. He ret , but enchanted by back in Japan ce on er tur fac in the food manu rsue a career ependent to pu soon went ind 08 Free Pour named the 20 ing be er his Aft ed e. coffe wada open Champion, Sa Latte Art World ER COFFEE AM RE ST p, own coffee sho 2010. COMPANY, in

Improving the Status of Baristas with Appealing Goods Most goods sold at cafés in Japan

These efforts are part of the attention

are mugs or coffee brewing

we pay to being an American-style

equipment. Practical, yes, but am I

café, but I also want to make my

the only one who feels dissatisfied

baristas look even better than they

with the selection?

do now. Baristas must become more

American cafés display t-shirts

appealing to encourage young

bearing their shop logo on their

people to aspire to the profession. It

walls. If the café is famous, tourists

isn't enough just to be skilled at

want one to take home. Even local

pouring delicious coffee. Baristas

coffee shops inevitably sell original

must also look stylish. So every two

t-shirts for their regulars and fans to

to three months we try to release

wear. I am extremely jealous of the

goods that will increase the appeal

relationships these cafés have with

of our cafés.

their customers, and their sense of

This summer we are releasing a new

belonging.

item – a tote bag made from jute

Many of my customers want to buy

bags that were originally used to

our original goods, probably because

hold coffee beans. The pattern of

we try our best to emulate American-

each bag differs because the large

style coffee shops. Therefore I

coffee bags must be cut down to

regularly brainstorm with my baristas

size. A special resin is used to coat

about potential items we could offer

the jute to prevent unwanted

to please our customers.

scuffing, and a special pocket is

First on the list is a t-shirt we are

sewn inside the bag to hold the

currently designing in collaboration

carrier’s coffee tumbler. I especially

with an apparel brand. We also have

like these bags for the realistic touch

plans for a cycling cap in

of the shipping dates and other

collaboration with a New York

markings stamped in red on them.

bicycle manufacturer, and stationery,

Meeting people from a variety of

such as notebooks and pens. Many

trades at my cafés led to the

customers cycle to our shops, so we

creation of such goods. Each day I

hit on the idea of a cycling bag. Our

refine the plans for the next item, all

baristas actually use this bag when

the while giving thanks for the

they commute to work, and they

wonderful relationships I have built.

wear our t-shirt while on the job.

ffee with a co jute bags mer. m Recycled su is sale th sleeve, on

STREAMER COFFEE COMPANY 1F, Miyagawa Bldg, 1-20-28 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-6427-3705 http://streamercoffee.com/

2012 June

Good Food Starts with Tasty Ingredients

In Search of Fresh Vegetables

食

Vegetables tend to be thought of as a complement rather than the main dish, but a really good vegetable packed with an intense concentration of flavor is something that should be savored for itself. Recent trends in food safety awareness have stimulated demand for safe, locally grown produce. Combine this with the application of advanced technology to agriculture

vegetabl

and it all adds up to the start of new food adventures with vegetables.

vegetables

Customorder Vegetables

選

Custom-Order Delicious Freshly-Picked Vegetables Order freshly-picked vegetables direct from their place of harvest. Enjoy wondering and anticipating what will be in season next.

Chiba prefecture

［Shige Farm］

Large Range of Vegetables and Fruit Valuing Vegetables in Season

2012 June

2,000 yen ured costs The set pict , y) ini bok choy (plus deliver , spinach, m on ik da of d s re , two kind Mini daikon e, mustard, ocket lettuc (r t ow peas, se d sn , la sa nthemum sa ry ch d an rl ber, new lettuce), ga ans, cucum be d oa br s, ot mabiki carr hini cc zu , ic rl ga

The Shige Farm was established in Wakaba, Chiba in 2001. The basis of the farm’s market garden is an organic-matter cycle of cultivation using fertilizer made from natural ingredients, and the inherent flavor of each plant is respected by not planting anything out of season. Vegetable orders are sent out with recipe suggestions and methods of storage included so that nothing gets wasted. Early summer kicks off with the always popular blueberries.

Shige Farm Shimoda-cho 1377, Wakaba-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba Packs of assorted vegetables from 2,000 yen. http://www.shigefarm.com/index.html

食作

les

選

n ,200 ye costs 4 d e r u t t pic The se ) ip, midi elivery d (plus lad turn a s , t o r m, car andong Wild ya ley, Sh s r a tard p , ed mus daikon bage, r b a c e Chines onion , Welsh greens

Aomori prefecture

［Tohoku Farm］ Safe, Reliable Produce From the Wide Lands of the North The Tohoku Farm produces somewhere between sixty to eighty varieties of vegetables every year on ninety hectares located at the base of the Hakkoda Mountain range in Aomori prefecture. The farm adheres strictly to organic production methods all the way from soil preparation to harvest, with no pesticides or chemicals used at any stage. Vegetables can be ordered separately or in sets. Each vegetable comes with a helpful sticker on the packaging that details its flavor characteristics, nutritional data and methods of storage.

Tohoku Farm Arinobe 1-3, Niidate, Tohoku-machi, Kamikita-gun, Aomori Packs of assorted vegetables cost 4,980 yen http://www.tohoku-bokujo.co.jp/

Kyoto prefecture

［Morita Market Garden］ Growing Kyoto Vegetables For Over a Hundred Years The Kamigamo district in Kyoto has long been blessed with rich soil and good water, and the Morita Market Garden has been farming vegetables here for over a century. Their vegetables are much less susceptible to disease as a result of the meticulous care paid to the quality of the water and soil used to grow them. The garden delivers heirloom vegetables from the Kyoto region, including the round Kamo eggplant, Manganji capsicum and Fushimi capsicum. All of these vegetables are large and packed with healthy nutrients.

Morita Market Garden

The set pictured costs 5,000 yen (includes deliver y) Kamo eggplant, Manganji capsicu m, Fushimi capsicu m, cucumber, tomato, mizuna

Kamigamo Ikebata-cho 39-1, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Packs of assorted vegetables from 3,675 yen Fax: 075-791-5986 http://www15.plala.or.jp/puremorita/

2012 June

vegetables Select

選ぶ

Satoru Uchida Gives Expert Advice on

How to Choose and E

For many of us, the sight of vegetables lined up in the stores is a reminder of the s so we asked a food professional for tips on selecting the best vegetables. Photography/ Hiroyuki Kiseki

Text/ JQR Editorial Staff

Use different methods of peeling and cooking for each period.

Tsukiji Mikuriya is located in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. This is where Uchida holds his classes on vegetables. For more details (in Japanese) visit http://www.yasaijyuku.com. Outside is a colorful array of flowers, fruit and vegetables.

different stages. To begin with there is a two to three week period when the first harvest of the year starts arriving on the market. A vegetable sold at this time is high in water content and its fiber is soft, but also tends to have a very strong flavor. Next is the period when it reaches its prime; the amount available on the market increases and the vegetable’s flavor can be fully experienced. Eventually the last Born in 1955. Owner of Tsukiji Mikuriya, a store specializing in fresh fruit and vegetables for restaurants. The store’s reputation for reliability is such that restaurants that are particular about their ingredients are happy to delegate their fresh produce purchases to Uchida. In 2007 he began a sideline teaching a course for ordinary consumers, Yasai Juku, on the appeal of vegetables.

ones grown outdoors—they’re really

Breeding improvements and advances

when people choose green vegetables

nowadays many different vegetables are available in shops all year round, regardless of the season. However, according to Satoru Uchida, a man who is trusted by many chefs, has worked in the fresh produce industry for over thirty years and selects vegetables for a living, vegetables in season still taste the best. “Vegetables grown in season have a healthy vigor that is reflected in their flavor. Particularly the

2012 June

three weeks of the season. At this point water content decreases, the rind becomes taut and the fiber tougher. The flavor also becomes more intense, and some vegetables, capsicums for

Knowing the Changes During the Season is Important in cultivation technologies mean that

period arrives during the last two to

special,” he says. There is a knack to choosing vegetables, he explains. For example, such as mustard spinach or cucumbers, they tend to go for the very dark green ones, but that is a serious mistake. A very dark green color can indicate overuse of agricultural chemicals or fertilizers. This will often result in a strong acrid flavor, so it is best to select lighter colored vegetables wherever possible. A vegetable is in season only for two or three months. During this time, according to Uchida, there are three

example, become difficult to handle, but it is also a period when you can fully appreciate a particular vegetable’ s distinctive characteristics. “Start by choosing good vegetables. Then the trick to enjoying their taste is to become familiar with the three periods when they are in season, and make adjustments in peeling or preparation to suit.” Early summer is the season when many vegetables that hang from branches, such as eggplants and cucumbers, start to appear. Savoring the taste of summer vegetables rich in minerals and water is a great way to beat the heat.

Enjoy Vegetables

season. Being in season, however, doesn’t mean that the taste is always the same,

〈Tips for Choosing Good Vegetables〉

［Eggplants］

［Capsicums］

Thin veins extend right to the end.

Broader around the stalk than the bottom

A gnarled calyx

Elongated flesh with clean lines

［Cucumbers］

Uniform rows of seeds

Pale color Capsicums that bulge out around the stalk and look as if they have well filled-out shoulders are best. Choose those that are almost pea-green and not too dark. High water content and a thin rind are characteristic of early-season capsicums in June. Even the seeds are soft then, and these can be fried and eaten whole. Towards the late-season period in August, the sweetness is stronger but the rind becomes firmer.

Eggplant grown in a hot climate is wonderfully compatible with oil. They should bulge up around the stalk area. If this part slopes down then it becomes an undesirable whitish color. With Senryo eggplants, choose those with elongated clean-lined flesh. Early-season eggplants have a thin, soft rind and are best cut into vertical pieces and stir-fried. Late in the season when the rind and fiber become tougher, peel the rind off or slice into thin rounds.

Also known as Japanese ginger, mioga is a good match with vegetables that don’t have a strong aroma. It is one of only ten ancient Japanese vegetables. Cut along the fibers into long, thin strips to enjoy the chewy firmness and fragrance. Choose plants with fine vertical lines, plumped-out flesh and leaves that are not withered at the tips. A round stalk is another point to look for.

［Mioga］ Plumped-out flesh

［Perilla］ Well-defined veins

Succulent cucumbers are indispensable to summer cooking. Those that have a stalk bulging up and seem to have evenly spaced veins when viewed from above are best. Choose cucumbers that are not too dark. The taste early in the season in June is very strong, but this rawness can be eliminated by rubbing well in salt and pouring hot water over the cucumber. Late in the season, when the skin becomes tougher and the seeds increase, is the time to pickle.

Chopped perilla combined with mioga is a common condiment. Its distinctive aroma stimulates the appetite. Well-defined veins on the leaf are a sign of a plant’s firm, strong roots, and if a plant’s nutritional balance is not right then the veins will not develop symmetrically. Choose leaves that are not too dark, as with capsicums and cucumbers. Also check that the grooves are deep and that it is not drooping right down to the tips.

2012 2012Juillet June

Round stem

食べ

eat vegetables

る

Feel like some fresh, delicious vegetables? Then head

Restaurants Where V

Vegetables tend to be relegated to a supporting role, but the depth of flavor in a vegetables and single them out for a starring role in their menus.

Kamogawa, Chiba Italian Local Seafood Restaurant

Fusabusa

Photography/ Yuko Iida Text/ JQR Editorial Staff

［Sample Menu］

Enjoy freshly picked vegetables in the style of a European restaurant

The vegetables I picked are pretty good you know!

Mackerel sandwich (sandwich of homemade smoked Kamogawa mackerel) 945 yen Pâté de Campagne made from Minami Boso Mahoroba pork 840 yen Hearty salad of ten Kamogawa vegetables small 780 yen/ large 1,260 yen Emi port turbo and rape shoot penne genovese 1,260 yen Bouillabaisse of Kamogawa port alfonsino and Japanese spiny lobster (weekends only) market price Daily pasta set (two small antipasto, salad, pasta, bread) 1,575 yen Lunch course (three antipasto, fish or meat dish, bread or rice) 2,415 yen

*Note that the menu changes depending on the season and supplies.

2012 June

d for these

Vegetables Are The Star

a carefully grown vegetable can be eye-opening. The following restaurants seek out such

Building Trust with Farmers to Procure Vegetables

is how to obtain the best and freshest

Fusabusa, which opened in July

vegetables. Sometimes they even set

2011, is a stylishly casual restaurant

aside precious vegetables for her that

with flair and atmosphere. It serves

they couldn’t harvest enough of to

Italian and French influenced original

make up a shipment.

dishes made from fresh, tasty local

ingredients. She finds it an education to meet with the farmers, who also teach her different ways of preparing

“This morning too, I had someone give

ingredients. Because of its location

me a big handful of welsh onion with

by the sea, many people stop in when

a flower head* it shouldn’t have had,

they are out for a drive to enjoy the

and say ‘This is good.’ I made it into

sea breeze over a leisurely lunch.

fritters.”

Owner, Kaoru Ono, obtains almost

Besides their vegetables, Fusabusa

all the ingredients herself by making

also makes excellent dishes from

the rounds to partner farms and fish

locally caught seafood. If you put in an

suppliers at the port.

order the day before, Ono can prepare

“Almost every morning I descend on

a tasty bouillabaisse made with

the farmers,” Ono laughs. “Meeting

Japanese spiny lobster and alfonsino.

people face to face builds up trust, and

If you’re driving from Tateyama along

also gives me the chance to fill the

the coast route you’ll want to stop off

gap between what they want to ship

at this lovely restaurant along the way.

off and what I want them to supply. It’ s nearly noon by the time I’ve been to four or five places, so I have to pull out the stops to get lunch ready everyday.”

* Welsh onion usually has a flower head, but the variety without a flower was bred to harvest between seasons before it gets hot. On rare occasions the flower will appear.

It was surprising to hear that she goes around to the farms herself everyday without fail, but according to Ono that

(top) Fusabusa also sells vegetables from its suppliers. (middle) Broad bean and pasta with ricotta cheese is a sumptuous dish that contains as many beans as pasta. (bottom) A salad of Kamogawa Japanese summer orange and carrot with an exquisite balance of sweet and sour.

This is what we grow! Safe, reliable vegetables

Local Seafood Restaurant Fusabusa

Emiutono 256-1, Kamogawa, Chiba Tel: 0470-96-0107 Hours: 11：30 ～ 15：00（last order 14:00) 17：00 ～ 22：00 (last order 21:00) Closed: Mondays, (or Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday) www.fusabusa.jp

Full-time farmers Eiichi and Kenichi Suzuki, are a father and son team from a long line of farmers in Kamogawa. Theirs is one of the farms that Kaoru Ono relies on. They grow fifty kinds of vegetables on their 1.4 hectares, but concentrate on fifteen to twenty such as cabbage, broccoli, peanuts and soybeans. Farm work is hard, but it gives you a good feeling at harvest time, according to Kenichi.

The flowerless variety of welsh onion that was bred in Chiba. It was ten years work to breed the seeds and seedlings before they were finally able to be harvested.

2012 June

Tokyo Italian

Roppongi Nouen

The Restaurant in Roppon MENU Roppongi Nouen Early Summer Hot-pot Course 3,800 yen Farmers’ Welcome Vegetable Platter -Served with Mint-Accented Tofu Yoghurt & Homemade Kinzanji Miso Dipping Sauce Grilled Asparagus and Ink Cap Mushroom with Bacon Risotto Perilla Genovese and Plum Chicken Hot-Pot Aritayaki Piping-Hot Farmer’s Rice Chilled Soy Blanc-Manger with Passion Fruit Sauce

Aritayaki Piping-Hot Farmer’s Rice Rice soaked for over three hours is cooked in an Aritayaki earthenware pot to bring out the best in every individual grain. The flavor induces a fresh appreciation of rice.

Farmers’ Welcome Vegetable Platter

“We cook dishes that make vegetables enjoyable”

～ Served with Mint-accented Tofu Yogurt and Homemade Kinzanji Miso Dipping Sauce ～ Vegetables in season from partner farms are served raw on this plate filled with goodness and energy. Notice the texture, aroma and sweetness of each vegetable. Combine them with the mint-accented tofu yoghurt, rich homemade Kinzanji miso or all-natural Nazuna salt from Saiki city in Oita prefecture, to encounter a different dimension of flavor in each vegetable.

Chef Yasuhiro Higa

2012 June

ngi Where Farmers Appear Live Featuring Farmers: A New Concept in Meal Courses

what dishes to make and put together

When Roppongi Nouen first opened

particular vegetable, and aren’t swayed

in the heart of Roppongi, Tokyo, it

by any particular cooking method,”

was as a place where the sons and

Chef Higa said. It’s not an easy thing

daughters of farmers could find work.

to scrutinize the farms and vegetables

Even now the restaurant is filled with

once every two months and then

staff who are from farms, have some

change the whole menu. However he

connection with farm production, or

continued with a smile: “The farmers

hope to become farmers in the future.

themselves actually come here to eat.

Nowadays the desire to give support

When they know their vegetables are

and encouragement to farmers is even

going to be made into some really good

stronger than when the restaurant first

food it spurs them to try even harder.

opened, and the restaurant adjusted its

We want this restaurant to be a place

method of putting together the course

where people can get to know about

menu accordingly. Every two months it

individual farmers who are doing their

features different farmers, which entails

best.”

four to five partner farmers from around

Currently the restaurant holds events

Japan being contracted to supply the

with live guest appearances by the

same vegetable for a concentrated

farmers. They also have performances

period of two months, based on the

introducing the actual vegetables

season and harvest. The menu is built

that farms produce while meals are

around their products. The chef and

being served. They also work with the

staff confirm the harvest schedule of

Korekara Network (The future network)

partner farms with whom they have

which supports the next generation of

relationships and farmers who bring

farmers, to support new young farmers

produce in from around the country.

in particular. This restaurant is a place

They check things such as cultivation

that connects the public with farms

methods, taste, and harvest volume in

and vegetables, and as such it’s one to

order to decide on the feature farmers.

keep an eye on in future.

a course menu. “We think about the most delicious dish for eating a

After these are decided they consider

(above) An hors d’oeuvres of Grilled Asparagus and Ink Cap Mushroom With Bacon Risotto, the grilled ink cap mushroom bursting with umami. (middle) Plum chicken from Wakayama prefecture raised on desalinated ume concentrate that includes citric acid and amino acid, is turned into a sumptuous dish of Perilla Genovese and Plum Chicken Hot-pot. (below) Chilled Soy BlancManger with Passion Fruit Sauce made from vegetarian ingredients only.

This is what I grow! Organic Soybeans by a Circulating Natural Farming Method with No Pesticides or Chemical Fertilizers

Roppongi Nouen Roppongi 6-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo Tel 03-3405-0684 Mon: 18:00-22: 30 last order Tues-Fri 12:00 – 15:00, 18:00-22:30last order Weekend 12:00-15:00, 18: 00-22:00 last order http://www.roppongi-nouen.jp

Hideki Kato specializes in cultivating soybeans. He began organic farming twenty four years ago when growing eucalyptus trees as koala feed, on the condition that he used no chemicals or pesticides at all. The only fertilizer he uses now is the soybeans that spill over during harvest and it is amazing how bountiful the earth can be with just this. He processes his soybeans into miso, which he delivers to Roppongi Nouen along with the soybeans. “I’m happy to deliver direct because I can get the chef’s opinion,” he said.

The Kato Farm , Hideki Kato, The Kato farm, Iruma Saitama

2012 June

Tokyo - Torigoe

Delicious Japanese Cuisine From Home-Grown Vegetables

Japanese Cuisine

MINOYA

Photos/Susumu Nagao Interview and Text/JQR

Chef's tasting menu changes monthly, depending on what's in season The counter at Minoya seats just nine;

about 33 square meters, of farmland

there are no tables.

in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, and

When asked how many turnovers he does a

there began raising his own vegetables.

night, Junji Kawahara, the chef and owner,

With no farming experience to speak of,

replies "Just one."

he had to rely on neighboring farmers

"I run the place by myself, so that's about

to teach him everything, including how

all I can handle," he says.

to hold a hoe, and it was only after

As you might imagine from the restaurant's

much trial and error that he was able to

name (literally, "flavorful farm"), Minoya

harvest a decent crop. That was what

specializes in Japanese food composed

gave him the idea of opening a Japanese

around fresh produce. Seasoned mainly

restaurant that would feature fresh

with soy sauce and salt, and perhaps a

produce. That's right--many of the dishes

bit of vinegar, the preparations are quite

he serves today use vegetables Mr.

simple.

Kawahara has grown and picked himself.

We ordered the monthly 12-course tasting

"Working in your own fields, you learn to

menu. First to arrive was a dish of blanched

identify the freshest vegetables," he says.

cucumber, young burdock root, green beans,

"For example, using too much fertilizer

and enoki mushrooms, garnished with

on leafy vegetables darkens the color and

radish sprouts, the vegetables wonderfully

makes them taste acrid. Their natural color

crisp and flavorful. Next, fried rakkyo, a kind

is actually quite light, and only deepens

of Japanese scallion, with marinated bell

once you cook them."

pepper and shimeji mushrooms, followed by

Chef Kawahara's careful observations are

young ginger and komatsuna, or Japanese

reflected in his cooking. The latter half of

mustard spinach, with sweet potato in a

the tasting menu featured hot dishes, every

sesame dressing. Each dish was beautifully

one of which was immensely satisfying.

arranged in a small bowl.

And since customers stop coming once all

Mr. Kawahara, who left corporate life to

the seats are full, you know you'll be able

work in a Japanese restaurant in Yanaka,

to enjoy a leisurely meal.

I'm happy when I can harvest such wonderful produce. And that makes my customers happy, too.

one day decided to lease 10 tsubo, or

Junji Kawahara, Chef/Owner

"I grow them myself."

Sacrificing sleep to work in the fields

Minoya 1-5-5 Torigoe, Taito-ku, Tokyo 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (last order) Closed Sundays, holidays, the last day of each month (may be closed on other dates) http://minoyavege.com

2012 June

Mr. Kawahara now leases 50 tsubo, or 165 square meters of fields in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture. About twice a week, he goes to work his fields before returning to his restaurant to begin preparing food. Because he makes every effort to avoid using fertilizer and pesticides, allowing his produce to grow naturally, the vegetables take longer to mature. As a result, though, he says they also keep better. Early spring is a particularly busy season, with potatoes planted in March, corn and zucchini in April, and tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and shishito peppers in May. In late May, he harvests the snow peas, snap peas, and broad beans he planted in October the previous year. This, then, is the secret to delicious vegetables.

10-course tasting menu, 3,500 yen; 12-course tasting menu 4,500 yen. Photo shows the 12-course menu. From top left, (1) Blanched cucumber, young burdock root, green beans, and enoki mushrooms garnished with radish sprouts; (2) Fried rakkyo (Japanese scallion) with marinated shimeji mushrooms and bell pepper; (3) Young ginger and komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) with sweet potato in a sesame dressing; (4) Pan-fried spring cabbage, sun-dried radish, maitake mushrooms, and shishito peppers in a grated yamaimo mustard sauce; (5) Asparagus in eggplant, with a spicy miso-green onion dressing garnished with udo (an herbaceous perennial native to Japan); (6) Daily selection of sashimi, in this case kinmedai (alfonsino) wrapped in radish, and sawara, or Japanese Spanish mackerel; (7) Spring carrots, Koya tofu, and green peppers pan-fried with a radish-ponzu sauce, garnished with parsley; (8) Hot fried turnip with a fuki (giant butterbur) and okra gravy, topped with grilled seaweed; (9) Soy milk with broadbeans and neri-tofu served broth style with mitsuba (trefoil); (10) Bite-sized lotus root, shiitake, and egg gratin baked in new potatoes; (11) Dumplings of Daisendori chicken from Tottori Prefecture, with lightly cooked zucchini and eddoe (small taro-like potatoes from Ishikawa Prefecture); (12) House-made green tea ice cream with black tea cookies.

2012 June

A restaurant born of the chef’s regard for vegetables

Tokyo French

Table Ogino

The Duck Confit Plate that sells from 11:00 is 1,360 yen. Daily dishes in the deli section are made from non-standard vegetables.

Lotus Root and New Burdock Quiche made with homemade ham, 680 yen. It has a delicious crunchy, tender texture.

Do discover how good non-standard vegetables can be

Citrus-Flavored Scallop and Cucumber Salad is made with asparagus in season, small 380 yen. (right) The vegetables are cut finely and used in the deli, in soups or in quiches.

Chef Shinya Ogino

A popular restaurant opens a deli café dedicated to irregular vegetables

irregularly shaped. There was nothing

The French Restaurant Ogino in

I wanted to make a space for buying up

Ikejiriohashi, Setagaya Ward is so

the vegetables I’d never eaten before,

popular it’s notoriously difficult to

and make them into side-dishes which

get a reservation there. In February,

people could eat and then have the

however, owner-chef, Shinya Ogino

chance to know abut this.”

opened a new eatery, this time a

Currently he orders non-standard

deli café. But it isn’t just a space

vegetables from eighteen farms in

dedicated to the casual enjoyment of

Hokkaido, as well as others in Kyushu,

a café, Chef Ogino had other motives

Kansai and all over the country. “I

for opening it, stemming form his

can do this because I’m a cook,” says

encounter with irregular vegetables

Ogino. This is a man who takes the

in Hokkaido. “I heard from the Asano

initiative to do what he can, so we’

Farm In Hokkaido that they threw out

ll be watching him with interest in the

all vegetables that were too big or

future.

2012 June

wrong with the flavor, it was just that they didn’t look standard, “ he said. “So

Table Ogino Luz Daikanyama 1&2F, Daikanyama-cho 14-10, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-6277-5715 Hours: 9:00 ～ 19:30 Closed: Mondays http://www.table-ogino.com

The Sushi Shop with No Fish, Only Vegetables

Tokyo Italian

Vegetable Sushi Potager

Coconut-Accented Lily Root Blancmange and Pineapple Soup 1,155 yen. (middle) Cold Asparagus Flan with Garden Vegetables, from the 5,250 yen course. (left) Vegetable Nigiri-Sushi lunch set, 10 pieces 2,100 yen, and served with a vegetable broth. Includes a range of sushi toppings made to look like seafood, for example burdock simmered in pickled plum, carrot mousse roll, and king oyster mushroom sautéed in soy sauce and butter.

Enjoy the flavor of vegetables in colorful sushi

Owner chef Aya Kakisawa

The Aesthetics of Vegetable Sushi: A New Cuisine

into something delicious, are just like

Potager, the popular patisserie that

variety of yuzu citrus) from Tokushima

brought out vegetable sweets has now

are used as substitutes for the usual

turned to making vegetable sushi.

rice vinegar in flavoring the sushi rice,

When owner-chef Aya Kakisawa

as the acidity of vinegar is too strong

was thinking about the subjects of

for vegetables. The finished taste has

revamping rice-eating culture and

a very gentle acidity.

creating a new stage for vegetables,

The vegetables that take a starring

she came up with the idea of using

role in this are all organic, with no

vegetable sushi Potager

them in traditional Japanese sushi.

pesticides or chemical fertilizers used

Naturally all the sushi toppings, which

in their production, and this includes

could easily be mistaken for fish, are

many heirloom vegetables from all over

made from vegetables. Every topping

Japan. Kakisawa is particular about

is created with careful attention paid

using only vegetables that have been

Roppongi 6-9-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo Roppongi Hills 1F, Roppongi Keyakizaki-dori Tel: 03-3497-8822 Hours: 11:00 ～ 15:00（14:00L.O） 17:00 ～ 23:00（21:30 L.O） Open every day www.sushi-potager.com

to whatever processes are required—

grown in a natural state.

deep-frying or boiling etc—to create a

This restaurant has opened up a new

finished nigiri. It could be said that the

stage for vegetables.

techniques for making all vegetables

those of Edo-style sushi. Konatsu juice from Kochi prefecture and yuko (a

2012 June

作る

Growing

Pasona Group

A plant factory in a big-city office building!?

A unique attempt to gro

Squash growing on the ceiling of the reception area, herbs being raised on the walls of th a major human resource services company, in the news. We paid a visit to this unusual o

Photos/Tomoya Takai Interview and Text/JQR

The Urban Farm

Vegetables thriving in the middle of a big-city office building Here in the midst of the modern office buildings of Tokyo's Otemachi business district, one building features a wall covered in greenery. These are the offices of Pasona Group, which we recently visited. The company moved here in 2010, after completing a renovation of the 53-year-old building. Taking advantage of the lower ceilings often found in older buildings, they created an "urban farm" in which office workers can co-exist with nature; a portion has been turned into a vegetable factory. Pasona Group has long been involved in cultivating new human resources for the agricultural sector, implementing a variety of agriculture-related initiatives, including, since 2003, its Agriculture Internship Project. Sayaka Sakami, head of the company's Urban Farm division, explains that the urban farm was developed as part of that business. Arriving at the first floor reception area, we are first struck by the strange sight of impressively large squash hanging from the ceiling. In the adjoining space is a field of cotton, and heads of pure white, fluffy cotton can be seen emerging here and there from among the plants. Proceeding across the first floor, our eyes light on a vegetable factory that seems to be producing salad greens and other leafy vegetables. The plants are bathed in a clear white light, produced by hybrid electrode florescent lamps, specially redesigned from the same technology found in the backlighting of large-screen LCD TVs. The lamps are long-lasting, and produce energy savings of between 20-25% compared to conventional florescent lamps. Going through the door of a separate reception room, we find hanging above our heads a profusion of red, ripe, delicious-looking tomatoes. Following

2012 June

ow vegetables in the workplace

he meeting space...These and other unique sights have put the offices of Pasona Group, office.

their vines downward leads to a large water tank--the tomatoes are being grown hydroponically. This enables stable production, unaffected by the seasons or the weather, and also makes it possible to harvest more tomatoes from each plant. And because the system uses no soil, it has the advantage of discouraging insects. On the second floor is a lounge, where green beans and other plants are grown on the walls and ceiling. In the back is another vegetable factory, this one producing herbs and a wide variety of other leafy vegetables. By the way, many of the vegetables picked here end up on the lunch menu at the employee cafeteria. In addition to these spaces, which are open for the general public to tour, a wide range of plants are grown on

(Above) A healthy crop of tomatoes hangs from the ceiling of the reception room. For the sake of the plants, the room is kept a bit on more humid. (Left) Vegetables thriving in the indoor factory. Once they're ready to eat, employees can enjoy them for lunch in the cafeteria.

each floor of offices, on balconies, and elsewhere. The ceilings and walls of the office interiors support over 40 varieties of fruits and vegetables, while the balconies and exterior walls are home to over 200 varieties of plants, each blossoming with the seasons. Ms. Sakami points out that "Not only is it unusual to have so much greenery in an office, but it also seems to have a relaxing effect on the workers here." Here, in the middle of a big-city office building, is a soothing space where one can sense nature and enjoy the four seasons. This unique initiative may lead more people to think about

Cotton being grown on the first floor. The plants are automatically misted at regular intervals, and get plenty of water and light.

their own awareness of food and the environment.

Sayaka Sakami, head of Pasona's Agricultural Team Urban Farm Division. She notes that people come from throughout Japan and abroad to visit this unique office.

These chairs feature drawers for growing sprouts, making use of every little space.

2012 June

A vegetable factory

野菜を

作る家

The Daiwa House

Agri-Cube

Photography/ Satoru Naito Text/ JQR Editorial Staff

L'agri-cube installé sur le terrain de l'Institut Central de Recherche Technologique de Sakyo dans la ville de Nara. On peut s'y rendre pour voir, en pratique, l'état des cultures. agri-cube E : 8 500 000 yens agri-cube S : 5 500 000 yens.

A compact plant factory for simple and consistent vegetable production On April 5 Daiwa House began selling the Agri-Cube, a

An Agri-Cube in the grounds of the Central Research Laboratory in Sakyo, Nara. You can see plants actually being grown here. The Agri-Cube E costs 8.5 million yen, and an Agri-Cube S is 5.5 million yen.

plant factory unit that it developed for the food service industry. Around 10,000 heads of leafy vegetables can be harvested annually from this roughly ten square meter unit, no bigger than a car park. “We imagined it being used by restaurants, with parttime staff also handling the work. So with this in mind we tried to keep the cultivation and hygiene control as simple as possible,” said Mamoru Yoshimura, the Deputy-General Manager of Daiwa’s Central Research Laboratory. Daiwa took the technologies it already had for the construction of panels and units in pre-fabricated housing and made the most of their strengths, working on things like improving their insulation and airtightness to adapt them for plant cultivation, and also devised ways to prevent occurrences of rust occurring and other problems. The result was a unit that required only one air conditioning unit and had an

We thought about what would grow in the kind of environment we could create, and arrived at the Agri-Cube, says Mamoru Yoshimura, Deputy Manager at the Daiwa House Central Research Laboratory.

annual maintenance cost of around 350,000 yen for water and electricity. Among other things the Agri-Cube is equipped with a lighting system that can be raised and lowered to adjust light levels in accordance with plant growth, and a nutrient solution circulation and water drainage system for trouble-free cleaning of the growing shelves. The Agri-Cube makes it easy to imagine eating freshly-picked vegetables at family restaurants in the not-so-distant future. Inquiries: Agriculture Business Promotion Section, Daiwa House Industry Co. Ltd. Umeda 3-3-5, Kita-ku, Osaka

2012 June

Cultivation containers

Fluorescent growing lights

Cultivation containers Fluorescent growing lights Nutrient solution circulation pipe Nutrient solution circulation pump

Nutrient solution tank

Diagram of the cultivation shelves. A fluorescent light is installed above each cultivation container. Each shelf has a water drainage chute for consistent maintenance of water quality.

育てる

Home-grown vegetables

野菜を

San-Ei Faucet Mfg. Co. Ltd.

ie-na

Photography/ Satoru Naito Text/ JQR Editorial Staff

Leafy vegetables can be grown in the ie-na, but as soon as you pick something like an ordinary iceberg lettuce it’s finished. The lower leaves of Korean or rocket lettuce, however, can be harvested bit by bit.

The Satisfaction of Picking Home-Grown Tomatoes There’s nothing quite like tasty homegrown vegetables. If you agree, then the iena manufactured by San-Ei Faucet can help you produce them. The ie-na is a hydroponic

Hiroko Shirohata of the Public Relations Section grows mini-tomatoes at work. She and her husband also grew a common interest in the 600 tomatoes they harvested at home last year.

growing kit that allows you to do some serious vegetable growing indoors or on a balcony. Place the container anywhere that gets plenty of sunlight and the plants will simply take off. The floor doesn’t get dirty and all that is required for plant growth is water suitable for cultivation and some nutrient solution. It’s exciting to see mini tomatoes or rocket lettuce sprout and get bigger every day. “People who live in places like condominiums, where they have no opportunity to put their hands in soil, let alone grow vegetables, really like the ie-na. Ripe tomatoes picked from a bush are both delicious and highly nutritious. Grow them once and it becomes addictive,” says Hiroko Shirahata, who has been managing the ie-na project since the fall of 2010.

The ie-na is a simple hydroponic kit that costs 16,800 yen and requires no tools for assembly. Densely packed tomato roots. Excellent nutrition means a lengthy harvest period.

It’s a very simple set-up. Water containing liquid fertilizer is automatically circulated with a pump. Watermelons aren’t worth the cost, but you can grow anything apart from root vegetables. Pick tomatoes every morning as they turn red, and eat them as is or turn them into juice—one of life’s small luxuries. Inquiries: Customer Inquiries Office, tel. 06-6976-8661 San-Ei Faucet Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Tamatsu 1-12-29, Higashinari-ku, Osaka

Cross-section (fruit and vegetable) 断面図（果菜）

T水位調節管で水位 he pipe that を調節します regulates the water level.

うきのメモリで液肥の A float signals when it is necessary to replenish 補給をお知らせします the liquid fertilizer.

The 栽培槽は根が cultivation 育つ空間です container, where the roots develop.

Plant the seeds and leave them for the first month while the plants grow rapidly. The electricity bill for water circulation comes to about 100 yen per month.

液肥タンクに is returned ポンプで栽培槽に液肥を送り込みます Pump for feeding liquid fertilizer into the Liquid fertilizer 液肥を戻しま cultivation container. to its tank. す 2012 June

QR 1

Quality Review

A fan with a dual blade structure. 25 centimeter diameter. At peak operation the wind reaches eight meters in front of the fan.

BALMUDA

GreenFan Mini Photography/ Satoru Naito

Text/ JQR Editorial Staff

which was unlike any of the

each other so the same

electric fans that came before it.

phenomenon would occur with

A GreenFan has more blades

the fan. After much trial and

than conventional fans, and a

error, this plan succeeded and

dual blade structure in which the

resulted in the current design.

outer blades generate a wind

The use of a digital motor

Though summer is not here yet,

speed 1.8 times faster than the

reduces the number of motor

interest in energy-saving

inner blades. This dual structure

revolutions to less than half that

strategies for the hot months

produces two winds that meet in

of conventional motors. At its

ahead is already building up in

a spot about 40 centimeters in

lowest level of operation, the

Japan. However, if you decide to

front of the fan. When the

GreenFan mini consumes a mere

conserve electricity with

streams of air collide, they are

2W of power, and even at its

equipment like air conditioners

reflected and disseminated

highest setting, when the wind

that consume a lot of power by

widely, becoming a light wind

reaches eight meters in front, it

using the timer rather than

that feels like a natural breeze.

only uses around 10W. If you ran

letting it run constantly, on hot,

The idea to concentrate and

this fan eight hours a day for a

steamy nights you’ll often end up

disseminate wind in this way

month the total electricity bill

waking up as soon as the timer

was apparently inspired by a

would only amount to about

goes off. This is why ever since

worker in a small factory who

eleven yen. It is also extremely

last year there has been so

turned a fan toward the wall

quiet and doesn’t interrupt sleep.

much interest in electric fans

“because it made the wind

The fan can be used anywhere

and their usefulness in utilizing

gentler.” The dual-blade structure

with a mobile battery (sold

air conditioners more effectively.

is based on the image of a large

separately) that makes an

Many companies manufacture

group of children with their legs

electric cord unnecessary.

fans, but the GreenFan, which

tied to each other walking

Recharging at night when

came out in 2010, stood out

3-legged. When they try to run in

electricity is cheaper and using

thanks to its revolutionary design

a line, the children in the middle

it during the day can help shift

and structure. It created quite a

are slower than the children at

the power peak load and is an

buzz, and rapidly sells out

each end, who move ahead

even more effective use of the

whenever it goes on sale. This

faster. This leads to the legs of

fan.

year a more compact version,

the slower children in the middle

Compact in shape, the GreenFan

the GreenFan mini, was added

getting pulled back and leaving

mini encapsulates a variety of

to the line-up.

the children at the ends unable

functions. It overturns all

The GreenFan series initially

to run in a straight line. The

previous notions of the electric

drew interest because of its

goal, then, was to create two

fan.

stylish and functional design,

winds of different speeds next to

A Cordless Power-Saving Fan With a Natural Breeze

Inquiries : BALMUDA 0120-686-717

2012 June

BALMUDA GreenFan mini

A UniPack palm-size battery fits underneath the base stand and runs for a maximum of twenty hours continuously on about 4.5 to 5.5 hours recharging time. A USB terminal can be used for recharging smart phones or other mobile devices.

The unit is operated by a green-lit click wheel that functions as an on-off switch, and also controls the four windspeeds and the one to four hour timer settings. It comes with a convenient remote control. A GreenFan mini costs 24,800 yen. The price with the battery is 34,800 yen. 2012 June

T A K U M I

匠

From the Workshops of Monozukuri Manufacturers

JQR Select Japanese Skills

A new approach to food production

Planned vegetable production a reali Plant Factory

Photography/Satoru Naito Text/JQR

V o l

Doctor of Agriculture Hiroyuki Watanabe, Dep researching plant cultivation for 20 years, and Plants do not need all of the

and the reduction in the cost of LEDs

wavelengths in sunlight to grow.

were boons to his research.

In fact, they only absorb certain

“Blue light is vital for plants. I bought

essential wavelengths. Since light-

some as soon as they were released

emitting diodes (LEDs) can emit light

on the market. They were expensive

at specific sunlight wavelengths,

at 3,000 yen each,” he says,

one would think that LEDs could be

laughing.

used to cultivate food. Tamagawa

Lengthening the life of an LED was

University’s Dr. Hiroyuki Watanabe

vital to lowering costs. The LED

began his research with this idea.

chip is an element approximately

Everyone is astonished that he

the size of a 0.3 mm poppy seed.

can not only optimize vegetable

70 percent of the electricity it uses

cultivation, but also control the

is released as heat, which burns out

vegetables’ flavor, texture and

the chip itself. Constantly cooling

nutritional value. JQR visited

the LED would extend its lifespan,

the research facilities to see the

so Watanabe devised a direct water

Plant Factory in its final stages of

cooling system.

preparation for commercialization.

“The LED chip is held by resin, which is a heat insulator, so the heat

A clean room was installed in the

is almost entirely contained. I then

Future SciTech Lab, which was built

thought of directly welding the chip

two years ago on the lush, expansive

to the aluminum board. The LED

campus of Tamagawa University.

lasted longer when we ran water

The students are devoted to tending

below the aluminum board to cool the

the vegetables here every day. The

chip, keeping it powered it at almost

thriving plants stand in methodical

20ºC. It was durable, and a strong

rows under the dazzling light emitted

electrical current could be produced.

by red, blue and purple LEDs.

This is the core technology for our

“LEDs were quite expensive until a

LED cultivation system.”

few decades ago. When comparing

With these innovations the team

the quantity of light produced to the

could produce the ideal LED. They

cost, it was a hundred or even a

added this data to their accumulated

thousand times more expensive than

cultivation knowledge and took on

fluorescent lighting. The cost made it

the challenge of applying it when the

impossible to justify the use of LEDs

time was right. At this point, what

as a light source for plants.”

products can they actually produce?

Solving the cost issue was essential

“As well as leafy vegetables, we

if vegetables were to be grown using

can grow strawberries, tomatoes,

LEDs. Watanabe, who began his

potatoes, sweet potatoes, ginseng,

research in 1991, explains that the

rice, soy beans – anything, in

introduction of blue LEDs in 1994

fact. We’ve even produced rice

2012 July June

ity

TAK U M I

JQ 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

partment of Life Science, College of Agriculture, Tamagawa University. Dr. Watanabe has been d is promoting the Plant Factory project.

2012 June

An enormous amount of time is necessary to accumulate growth data under various conditions. More efficient gathering of data on high-quality vegetable production will reduce costs. Great expectations have been placed on functional vegetable production. For example, rice that generates the genes used in vaccinations against infectious diseases, such as cholera, can be produced, saving many lives. The cost of dispatching doctors to infected areas could be greatly reduced. Vaccinations against influenza can also be included in food. Watanabe mentioned that soybeans have great potential.

and soy-bean crops, but from a

vegetables varies depending on the

cost perspective it was crazy,” he

wind flow and the way it hits them.

laughs. “Many people have hopes

“All of the growing environment

for strawberries. We can produce a

conditions can be altered in the Plant

slightly bitter lettuce and a sweet,

Factory to match the desired result.

soft-textured lettuce.”

The only question is whether to

Custom vegetables also a possibility Conceptual drawing of the Plant Factory, which will be constructed on the Tamagawa University campus and operational from fall 2012. The facility will have 14-levelled tower cultivation machines installed that fully automate the production of lettuce and other salad vegetables.

2012 June

spend the money to do it or not.” The production of vegetables – our primary source of nourishment – is largely dependent on the weather. It

“We can also grow vitamin-rich

also takes several months before the

lettuce and lycopene-rich tomatoes.

vegetables can be harvested. The

It is easy to increase the vitamin

state of the market can be predicted

A levels in lettuce tens of times

ten days in advance, so information

over. Essentially, we can control the

on market distribution, sales, demand,

night and day ratios by using certain

and other factors can be accurately

amounts of red LED light.”

gathered. With this information,

Plants are grown in the laboratory

Watanabe explained that the Plant

under controlled conditions:

Factory can manage distribution

light wavelength, intensity, time,

for hard-to-get vegetables with high

temperature, gas environment and

added value – and other vegetables –

other factors are all regulated.

that can be produced when prices are

Surprisingly, the most important of

low.

these is wind. The quality of the

“The Plant Factory, which is now

T A K U M I

ものづくりの現場から

The lights in the laboratory cultivation racks can be changed from blue to green to red with the flick of a switch. The flavor of lettuces produced under the red and blue LEDs were distinctly different.

being commercialized in collaboration

goal?

heads of lettuce daily in two years’

with Nishimatsu Construction, is

“To establish this as a business.

time.

automated from cultivation through

When we do, competitors will appear,

to harvesting and can even pack

and this field will attract investors

the products. It is unnecessary for

and skilled individuals. What I mostly

people to enter the cultivation space,

hope for is that students trained

because everything is monitored

as technicians will be employed

using cameras and sensors. The

in this field, applying the skills

cultivation conditions and other

they’ve acquired. The College of

factors are controlled using the

Agriculture is nurturing experts in

computer in the control room.”

food production, so it’s

Watanabe hopes corporations will

hard seeing them having to find

be interested in the Plant Factory

work in companies unrelated to their

concept once its feasibility and

specialty. It’s ridiculous to complain

profitability is proven.

that our agriculture industry is not

The world’s population is constantly

internationally competitive when we’re

growing, and we are sure to suffer

not properly utilizing the qualified

from food shortages in the future.

people. Once these people start using

When that time comes, a system that

their skills, the level of skill in the

can produce a determined volume

agriculture industry will rise.”

of vegetables daily, without being

The vegetable factory, which is

influenced by the weather, will be

slated to start operations in the fall,

very attractive.

has achieved lettuce production in

So, what is Watanabe’s ultimate

12 days. The goal is to produce 3,500

Tamagawa University Research Institute Biosystems & Biofunctions Research Center 6-1-1 Tamagawa-gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 042-739-8666 http://www.tamagawa.jp/

2012 June

JQR Approved!

Brand Debut!

vol.1

A rich, amazake-flavored health drink full of essential amino acids and fiber

Kankororin

New! An amazake-flavored health drink made from sweet potatoes grown on the Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture. Perfect as a snack when dieting or for when you feel peckish ♡ Photography/Satoru Naito Text/JQR

2012 June

Name

Kankororin

Data

Description Amazake-flavored non-alcoholic drink Origin

Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture

Features

No additives, no sugar, non-alcoholic

Released

May 10, 2012

Price

750 yen（excl. sales tax）

column

Japan’s traditional all-in-one vitamin and mineral drink Summer is just around the

of Kyushu, consist of 129

corner. This is the season when

islands of various sizes.

we suffer from heat fatigue, so

Growing crops is difficult due to

we must regularly replenish our

the lack of flat land and the

bodies with nutrients.

volcanic ash soil. Despite these

Surprisingly, people during the

conditions, sweet potato

Edo period often drank amazake

cultivation took root here during

– a sweet drink made from

the Edo Period. Sun-dried, thinly

fermented rice – to prevent heat

sliced sweet potatoes, called

fatigue. Most Japanese think of

kankoro, are a famous Goto

amazake as a hot drink for cold

Island specialty that led to the

winter days, but summer haiku

creation of Kankororin. The

verses also mention amazake.

Goto Islands Fan Club, which is

This traditional Japanese sweet

based in Hantomari – seven

beverage has a long history. An

kilometers through the

early form of amazake, amano-

mountains from Togicho in Goto

tamuzake, appears in one of the

city – cultivates and harvests

oldest chronicles in Japan, the

the sweet potatoes used to

Nihon Shoki, so its origins go

make the drink. The sweet

back more than 1,300 years.

potatoes are washed, peeled,

The reason it has such a

sun dried, crushed, and ground

prominent place in history is its

by hand. The sweet potato

high nutritional value. Amazake

powder is then shipped to

is not just a sweet drink; it is

Shinozaki – an established sake

high in glucose and rich in

and amazake brewer in Asakura,

vitamins and essential amino

Fukuoka Prefecture – to be

acids.

fermented, matured, and

Sweet potatoes carefully grown in a beautiful satoyama region in the Goto Islands

Hantomari, a scenic village with five households and nine people! Located in the westernmost part of the Goto Islands.

pasteurized before being bottled and shipped. Kankororin is very sweet and rich, but still has a refreshing aftertaste. Since it is non-

A new version of amazake has

alcoholic, has no additives and

hit the market. Amazake is

is slowly digested, it is a perfect

generally made from rice and

snack for children. Rich in

malted rice, but Kankororin

dietary fiber and

– released in April 2012 – is a

oligosaccharide, Kankororin

unique version that includes

keeps your stomach and skin in

sweet potatoes harvested on the

good condition. This drink is

Goto Islands.

sure to gain attention as one of

The scenic Goto Islands,

Japan’s classic fermented

located at the westernmost tip

foods.

Ingredients: Malted rice, rice (100% domestic), locally produced purple sweet potatoes Manufacturer: Shinozaki Co., Ltd. Retailer: Goto Islands Fan Club

No one lives beyond Hantomari. A village once existed further west, but was abandoned, so Hantomari is one of Japan’s frontiers. This narrow community, with its 500 meter radius, is like a miniature garden with a pure river flowing from the mountains and fields surrounded by clear, blue seas. The sweet potatoes used to produce Kankororin are grown in this scenic spot. Mass production is difficult, because everything is done by hand, but Hantomari’s sweet potatoes are nurtured with care. The sweet potatoes grown in this idyllic environment are full of flavor, giving Kankororin its rich taste.

Enquiries: Goto Islands Fan Club ☎ 0959-73-0480 http://gotofanclub.jp/

2012 June

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

An album of songs born from 3/11

Looking Towards a Bright Tomorrow!

Tatsuya Ishii has been busy since he started his solo career after Kome Kome Club split up, releasing a constant stream of work as a movie director, a spatial designer, and an artist. He will soon release a mini-album featuring songs written after the Tohoku disaster. JQR talked to Ishii about his thoughts behind this beautiful album.

Interview & Text/Ayako Oda

Photo by G-KEN

2012 July June

––The resounding multitude of

flow. They had kept silent so as

multilayered voices on the track

not to upset people around them,

Tsuyoku ikiyo (Let’s be strong in

because all their friends were

life) is unforgettable. Apparently,

affected to various degrees by

over 10,000 people sang on this

the disaster. Some had lost their

track.

homes, others had their families

: I was personally quite surprised at the final number of people involved. Many people, myself included, felt the urge to do something after the disaster in March last year. Singing is

swept away.

A day spent listening to the children’s stories with his heart

The children could not sit still while hearing Ishii’s entertaining talk. The formal barriers we erect when meeting someone for the first time were destroyed in a moment.

something anyone can do, so I

: One day, I received a letter

distributed the song before my

from a lady in Rikuzentakata

concert so we could all sing

saying her fiancé who she was

together. That was in May. I

to marry in May was swept away

opinion on Japanese society

remember everyone singing like

by the tsunami and was still

today, since the disaster hit?

they depended on each other.

missing. She also wrote that she

: There are many horrible,

––The phrase, “Gambare Nippon

will most probably never marry.

indescribable events happening

(Hang in there, Japan),” has been

I was inspired by that one letter

around the world, the Tohoku

used often since.

and wrote Anata-wo kanjite

disaster was only one of them.

: It has, hasn’t it? Everyone has

(I feel you) about feeling the

There are battlefields, and there

been making huge efforts, so I

nearby presence of “you” who

are uranium mines. There are

looked for lyrics that anyone can

has not yet gone to heaven. I did

people who risk their lives for

sing to themselves – lyrics that

a concert at Enryakuji temple in

their daily bread. We build our

they can mutter when they find

Kyoto, and I sang this song in

lives by making such sacrifices.

a moment to themselves – like,

dedication during the show.

If we didn’t, we wouldn’t build 54

“I must be stronger” or “Let’s be

––What were you feeling while

nuclear power plants. Mankind

strong in life.”

recording Hearts Voices? It

should evolve while maintaining

––The lyrics are credited to

was not your usual approach to

harmony between technology and

“Japan.” Why?

creating an album, was it?

civilization, but our evolution is

: I wanted to emphasize that this

: I didn’t write these songs with

proceeding at a totally different

song was created by everyone,

the aim of making an album, so

speed. Therefore, hazardous

together. I thought the credit

I originally considered naming

incidents that are too much for

would make everyone proud to be

it Untitled. But that title would

humans to handle are inevitable.

Japanese and inspire them.

probably make it difficult to

––What is your next challenge?

––You also visited your alma

relate to for someone doing

: I have been a bit too

mater in North Ibaraki and wrote

their best to make something

freewheeling at times, so I am

a song with the students.

out of nothing. Using the title

thinking of singing songs written

: I wrote Sekai-no kizuna –

Hearts Voices makes people

by others, including the lyrics. As

Inochi-ni arigato (World ties –

listen with their hearts. Victims

part of this, I need to interpret

Appreciate life) together with 33

of the disaster and other people

them in my own way and make

children. I spoke to each child for

affected by the disaster may feel

each song mine. Even in doing

five or six hours, discovering just

something. Hearts Voices has

so, my individuality is probably

how deeply anguished because

both romantic ballads and songs

what is real. I think maybe it’s

of the disaster. Their parents and

for people in the disaster-stricken

time I tested myself.

teachers won’t talk to them about

areas.

what happened, because they’re

It’s like a singing diary. These

afraid of the wounds festering.

are songs I couldn’t throw away.

But I think not talking about it

I thought they would disappear if

has adverse effects as well,

I used them separately, so I put

so I went through their stories

them together as an album.

about what had happened, step-

––Soon after 9/11, you were

by-step. That was the first time

busy doing concerts as part of

the children could let their tears

your charity efforts. What is your

石井竜也

Hearts Voices Tatsuya Ishii （Sony Music） 2,500 yen

T AT U YA I S H I I 2012 June

1 2 1

New Whisky Line-Up

Suntory introduces a new line-up for its Single Malt Whiskies Yamazaki and Hakushu that

HotPick

What's N

combines their most easy-to-drink characteristics. Unblended whisky from the company’s reserves was carefully selected, without regard for age, to match the easy-drinking flavor design of this new line-up. Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki and Suntory Single Malt Whisky Hakushu (700 ml, 3,500 yen/ 350ml, 1,750 yen) both embody

Comfortable Walking Sandals

the brand’s strengths and the company’s quest

Mizuno took the ancestral wisdom behind waraji

for an easy and pleasant drink.

(traditional Japanese sandals) and fused it with

Inquiries: Suntory Customer Center, free dial 0120-139-310

their own scientific research on walking to produce a series of sandals called WAVE REVIVE. Now the company has released a new outdoor sandal, the WAVE REVIVE OD (comes in men's and women's versions, choice of two colors, 12,600 yen). This sandal incorporates the best ideas of waraji throughout, such as the raised section around the toes that encourage the knees to move forward naturally. The addition of a belt cord and toe guard make these sandals suitable for nature walks in summer. Inquiries: Mizuno Customer Inquiry Center,

2012 June

free dial 0120-320- 799

New

Selection

2012 July

The editorial staff’s pick of the latest must-have products. This month we bring you another selection of new products that you’re bound to want.

Perspiration-Free Stockings for the Summer Heat

FRANTICA is the label through which Fukuske, a hosiery and underwear manufacturer, expands its range of stockings, tights and socks for women. Currently on sale are these stockings without a panty section—comfortable to wear even in summer when you need to be properly dressed

A Projector With Eleven Image Modes and 3-D Capability

A full HD image is possible with the newlyreleased Sharp XV-Z30000 projector (estimated retail price: 400,000 yen). Its high luminance enables enjoyment of clear images even in a brightly lit room. Choose from a selection of modes depending on the viewing content—for example cinema, animation or sports—and adjust the brightness, color, and gamma correction for optimum viewing of each. View 3D images using the AN-3DG10X 3D glasses that can be bought separately.

for business (available in two colors, 1,365 yen). A novel design that removes front, back and side sections eliminates annoying perspiration. Other welcome features include run-resistance, UV absorbency, and odor elimination. Inquiries: Fukuske Customer Service Office, tel. 03-6418-1411 A design with round holes at the front, back and sides allows perspiration from the panty region to escape. Perfect for keeping working women cool during the hot summer months.

Inquiries: Sharp Customer Inquiry Center, free dial 0120-078-178 2012 June

Vol. 4 Touring the Festivals of Japan

Folk Entertainment in the Mountains (May 5)

The Kawai Three-Lion Dance Female lion

Red head, no horns. Are those teeth stained black?

Bird feathers

Tengu’s clowning spurs on the lions Dance to the beat of a belly drum The Three-Lion Dance is found mainly in the Saitama Chichibu area and the Tokyo Nishitama area. In Okutama alone it’s performed in 14 locations. It used to be held in summer, but nowadays is mainly performed in spring and fall

The lions’ furious dancing is also called Kuruu (go crazy)

Enjoying a Traditional Lion Dance on a Peaceful Day Out in Spring

It isn't very well known that towns in the Western Tama area of

Ome line train bound for Okutama was jam-packed with holiday-

metropolitan Tokyo, such as Ome, Akiruno and Okutama, still have

makers looking to enjoy the spring weather. It was difficult just

a living tradition of folk performing arts. One of the most common is

getting to the mountains to experience their restorative atmosphere.

sanbiki-shishimai, the three-lion dance in which three lions perform

I got out at Kawai Station and began walking to Yakumo Shrine.

as one. Performances of this dance are dedicated to shrines in

One thing to note here is that there is a shrine with the same name

the area from spring through to fall as a way of praying for bumper

near Sawai Station, which is two stations before Kawai. I know this

harvests and to drive away pests. On May 5 I went to see the dance

because I made that mistake last year. Kawai and Sawai also sound

that is performed at the Yakumo Shrine in Kawai Okutama.

similar, which makes it even more confusing.

This particular day falls during the series of public holidays known

The performance I wanted to see began at 8:45 a.m. Over the

as Golden Week. which means that even early in the morning the

course of the day there would be seven dances, with several breaks

2012 June

Okutama-machi Kawai

In the outdoor theatre of an Okutama shrine set amongst beautiful spring greenery male and female lions do a furious dance involving the sun and moon

Shinjuku

Illustrations and Text/ Itaru Mizoguchi Hanagasa

Performers wearing hats used in traditional performing arts surround the lions and play the sasara to keep time (most dances have four people but Kawai has six)

s a-

Sasara

This bamboo instrument makes a sound like wind blowing through leaves in the trees

Male lion

The horns on his black head are said to symbolize spiritual power.

Two bamboo sections with numerous notches Both ends are open

and lunch in between. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a marathon nine-hour program that

by worry that the headgear might be too heavy for them, but it was

finishes around 5:30 p.m.

sweet to see them doing such a gallant job.

In the first dance on the program, Sasa no Ha (bamboo grass

The shrine still has a tower gate that was built in the late Edo

blades), the lions defend themselves and purify the area. Six other

period. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an uncommon design with the gate at the bottom and

performers dressed as women stand around the lions, concealing

a stage at the top, and the dance is performed in front of the

their faces with the hanagasa hats worn by traditional entertainers.

stage facing the main shrine. Audience seating is a magnificent

They keep time with sasara, a traditional percussion instrument

construction of stones stacked in a stair formation to form tiers

made of notched bamboo. In contrast to the lions, the hanagasa-

where the audience can stretch out in comfort or eat a picnic lunch.

wearers barely move and seem a bit like the dead with their

When lunchtime came I bought some grilled chicken skewers,

covered faces, which all contributes to the creation of a mysterious

yakisoba noodles and a can of beer from the locals, and sat high

atmosphere. Since some of them were only in grade three or four at

up in the stands enjoying a party by myself. The third dance on the

elementary school, however, the sense of mystery was overridden

program, Tsunakakari, was being performed. Up until then the lions 2012 June

Hiding the female lion and the universe

What is it about the Kawai “Hiding the female lion” dance…? The sun and moon atop the hanagasa

A male lion searches for the female

The female lion hidden by the hanagasa

Hanagasa are thought to represent the universe, and the three lions the sun, moon and stars. Hmm … The eclipse was believed to be a bad omen, so perhaps the dance hiding the female lion was meant to remove bad luck.

Erected in 1799. The Kawai lion dance had been in decline but was revived after an eclipse around this time coincided with a famine.

had been dancing furiously, but now they were crawling around

about looking for her, but I remember seeing another version at

enthusiastically on the ground. As I chugged down my beer I gazed

Okuhikawa Shrine in which the males clash violently with each other

through the gaps in the cedar trees at the slopes of the Okutama

as though in martial combat.

mountains bursting with spring growth. Aaah. I felt on top of the

During the dance a mask-wearing buffoon type character came by

world.

and offered me a drink of the local Sawanoi sake from a 1.8 liter

Getting back to the subject of the lions, there are two males and

bottle he was carrying. Maybe it was just my mood, but the sasara

one female. With that kind of gender ratio, it’s obvious where the

seemed loud and sounded like part of the wind. Maybe I was a bit

story is headed. Sure enough, the second to last dance, Onnnashishi

tipsy. Mmm. And that was how the time went by peacefully on a

kakushi (hiding the female lion), was just what I expected: two male

beautiful spring day spent watching a lion dance.

lions fight each other in a struggle over the female. The Yakumo Shrine version of this story is a very gentle one that has the sasara players surrounding and hiding the female, while the males dance

A memorial stone to the eclipse at Lake Okutama

2012 June

A Tower Gate Stage and Stone Seating Stands

Main shrine The gods get special seats

The impressive stone-tiered seating and tower gate stage are designated Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Tokyo Kabuki and other plays were performed here up until the late 1920s

Apparently built during the Ansei era (1854-60)

The lion dance is performed here

A Tower Gate Stage

At the rear of the gate is a stage

The dance is performed here in rainy weather

Pass through the gate, go up the stairs and you’re in the shrine grounds

【The Kawai Lion Dance】 Held on May 5, the Yakumo Shrine’s festival day. This dance is said to have begun during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), but this is not known for sure. Once on the verge of extinction, it was resurrected in 1803, a year of flood damage and great famine. It is performed by three singers, eight flute players, three dancers, two musical accompanists, and six people wearing hanagasa. The program of dances is Sasa no ha (miyamairi), Tanjaku, Yumigakari, Houka, Onnashishi kakushi, Tsunagakari, and Tachigakari.

【Getting to Kawai Yakumo Shrine】 ●By train Approximately 40 minutes on the JR Chuo line from Shinjuku station to Tachikawa station. From there it takes about 55 minutes on the JR Ome line to Kawai (but may take longer as there are fewer trains beyond Ome.) Yakumo Shrine is about ten minutes' walk from Kawai station. Kawai Yakumo Shrine Okutama-machi, Tokyo (a designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Okutama-machi)

Kawai Yakumo Shrine

Kawai Tokyo

Shinjuku

2012 June

Sake to Drink From a Wineglass

In Praise of Fine Sake Vol.

Yamahana

Miyasaka Brewery

Address: Motomachi 1-16, Suwa-shi, Nagano 0266-52-6161

● Alcohol: 16% ● Seimaibuai (rice milling percentage): 45％ ● Nihonshu-do (Sake Meter Value + dry, -sweet): ＋ 1 ● Acidity: approx.1.5 ● Amino acidity: approx.1.0 ● Rice: 100% Yamada-nishiki from the Kato Yamakuni area in Hyogo prefecture ● Volume: 720ml (no packaging) ● Price: 2,415 yen (tax inclusive)

Junmai Daiginjo

Text/ Kaori Haishi (sake sommelier) Photography/ Susumu Nagao

A Junmai Daiginjo for Casual Enjoyment The Miyasaka brewery has been making sake since 1662, and celebrated its 350th anniversary this April. The brewery is situated in the rich natural environment of Suwa in Nagano prefecture, and is known throughout Japan and overseas as the birthplace of yeast number seven, or nanago, which is a favorite of sake brewers. With the launch of its limited distribution line, Miyasaka, along with its main brand Masumi, is experiencing increasing business momentum. This doesn't mean they can rest on their laurels, however, as young brewers in tune with the times exert a major influence while still maintaining respect for tradition. Due to the Miyasaka name being so wellknown, many assume that the brewery

2012 June

must be automated, but that is a

of sweetness and acidity, with a long

misapprehension. Although there is

aftertaste that fades out to a slow finish.

partial automation, the processes that

This sake has a beauty and refinement

are central to sake-making are still in

reminiscent of dyed Yuzen cloth floating

the hands of skilled brewers.

on a river.

Miyasaka is proud of its long-selling

That said, however, it wouldn’t be

Yamahana Junmai Daiginjo, a sake that

appropriate to put on airs when you drink

is very popular with women. This brew is

it. For a junmai daiginjo made from

advertised as being inspired by the

meticulously selected ingredients, it’s

lovely early-spring flowers in the

very reasonably priced. This sake is one

Yatsugatake mountains, and sure

to drink casually with some laid-back

enough, the aroma that gently wafts up

friends while the sun is still high, ideally

evokes an image of white blossoms.

accompanied with some very simple

There are also faint traces of green

food. At this time of year I would

apples and a lactic aroma, but this is

recommend a marinade of sweet

not overly florid and has a nice elegant

tomatoes and new onions, grilled broad

touch. A light viscosity contributes to

beans, or firefly squid with vinegar miso

the round taste, and the flavor of rice

dressing. I also highly recommend trying

umami is also rich and healthy. With

an oil-based pasta. Thinking about the

each glass you drink, your mood gets

marriage of flavors is another pleasure

mellower.

that comes with this brew. It reaffirms

The flavor is centered around an sense

my belief that Japanese sake is a great accompaniment for meals.

The next issue will be released on Tuesday July 10, 2012.

2012 June