You have Zoom Japan in your hands, a new free monthly newspaper that aspires to g ive you an orig inal, if not complete, outlook on Japan We call ourselves “ new ” , but that isn’t really the case Zoom Japan is an English vers i o n o f Z oom Ja p on that wa s cre ate d t wo years a g o in France, in response to the g rowing interest the French are showing towards the archipelag o Its success has encourag e d us to launch Zoom Japan. Each issue will present you with a ma in top ic of fo cus, travel ideas, cooking tips as well as cultural news
Th i s f ir st i ssu e f o c us e s o n th e n o ti o n o f “Made in Japan” that is currently e volving , and it will also invite you to a wonderful journey during which you will discover Miyajima And because a newspaper is meant to be read, we encoura g e you to contact us in order to help us improve it. Enjoy your read ! THE EDITORIAL TEAM info@zoomjapan info
79,6 %
japanese are favourable to a nuclear output according to a poll by the Tôkyô Shimbun that was published on on march the 11th. nevertheless, they are 69 % to accept that certain reactors be restarted in order to avoid the power cuts that are predicted for the summer.
A DAY IN JAPAN by Eric Rechsteiner
april 4th 2012, University of Tôkyô, in Tôkyô
SOCIETY The national anthem is no joke
In Ôsaka, a 61-year-old teacher was dismissed from his functions. He refused to stand when the national anthem was played during a diploma ceremony. It’s not the first time that teachers have been punished for lacking respect to Kimigayo For the past few years, a few people have been criticising it as a synonym of the country’s past at war.
ECONOMY privatising the postal services
an agreement relating the privatisation of the postal services is on its way. This public service, that is incidentally the biggest bank in the world, could be privatised after a law was passed in 2005. It hasn’t yet been so, in the absence of any political agreement It now seems possible, because the sums of money collected will be used to pay the reconstruction of a large part of the northeast of the country.
Spring is back It’s the season that everybody awaits in Japan, if only to see the Japanese Cherry Blossom Many Japanese, like those Tôkyô University students playing baseball, spend time in parks where they can enjoy the trees while they flower Whether with family, friends or work colleagues, they get together and celebrate the fleeting moment during which the trees are in blossom.
Front page picture by Jérémie Souteyrat
DEFENCE pitching for the soldiers
For months, the government has been tr ying to clarif y the role of their defence forces with the public opinion. With no success.
we now know The North Koreans failed their attempted missile launch last April 13th. Considered by the Americans and their allies as a long-range missile, the rocket exploded right after being launched, thus avoiding problems throug hout the reg ion Most of the countries concerned, Japan first, had warne d that the Nor th Korean de vice would b e destroyed if it came anywhere close to the Japanese territory Authorities had deployed Patriot antimissile missiles on the rocket’s estimated trajectory in Okinawa and in several cities, in order to reassure the population that had been hearing about the next missile launch over the previous days It’s the second time that such measures have been deployed in Japan. They are without doubt a response to the defence of the territor y, but also a way of increasingly legitimising the presence of defence forces whose role is still quite obscure to many Japanese It’s all the more important as the archipelag o ’ s g e ostrateg ic environment has evolved a lot over the past two decades Althoug h the Soviet Union was the main enemy during the cold war, the Japanese didn’t worry about it much as the American atomic umbrella insured their territor y ’ s defence. The end of the cold war blurred the situation Russia isn’t the countr y that Japanese are
most scared of anymore For that matter, the Japanese strateg ists can ’ t e ven ima g ine their territor y b eing menace d by the Nor thea st, meaning Hokkaidô. Their eyes have turned South, towards Okinawa , the zones f acing Popu lar Ch ina S o one shouldn’t be surprised at Japan’s will to cooperate with its Asian neig hbours, who are a lso scare d of China’s hegemonic objectives Prime Minister NODA took advantage of his British homo lo g ue ’ s visit, David Cameron, to sign a first a g re ement in terms of c o op eration and defence. His government intends to reinforce militar y dialog ue with South Korea , the Ph il ipp ines and Ta iwan in order to a llow a b etter co ordination of effor ts in ca se of crisis But the main challenge for the public power is to clarif y the role Defence Forces’ role to the public opinion. The change in status of the administration who deals with it – in 2007, the Defence Ag enc y became the Ministr y of Defence – was a first step, yet insufficient The efficient inter vention of the Armed Forces after the earthquake on the 11th of March also played in their favour, but more is needed for mentalities to evolve Having members of the AK B48 band, composed of pretty young ladies in militar y clothes, on the front-page of Mamor magazine is likely to be the kind of thing to bring minds to evolve. Nothing is more certain.
GABRIEL BERNARD
Ready to intercept the North Korean missile
CHALLENGE Reinventing “made in japan”
Af ter a challenging year on all sides, the Japanese population should slowly be regaining trust in its products
ac c ord ing to i ts en d o f y e ar ha b i t , Nikkei
B u si nes s , a ma g a z i n e sp e c i a l i s e d i n e c onomy, published the list of the most popular products in Japan And it was a surprise to the journalists when they found out that the Japanese pro ducts had g one c omp letely m issing from the list For the first time in the histor y of this annual c l a s s i f i c ati o n , n o t o n e Ma d e i n Jap a n p r o d u c t fig ures in it, as if a tsunami had blown ever ything away The storm didn’t come from the Pacific, but f r o m th e We s t , f r o m Ko r e a t o b e m o r e p r e c i s e .
A f t er hav i n g f i r s t b e en s e d u c e d b y Ko r e a n T V shows and pop music, lately the Japanese have fallen for Made in Korea products Mobile phones,
drinks, cookies, ramen e ven : South Korean companies have left nothing out, and it looks like they have suc c e e de d in se ducing Jap anese c onsumers with the originality, quality and prices of their prod u c ts . Va ri o us f a c t o r s e xp l a in w hy Made in Japan has disappeared from the Nikkei Business list. The 11th of March events are of course not to be n e g l e c te d El e c tro n i c wa re ma ker s focused on less energ y consuming products rather than on originality as they did before This change in the state of m ind d idn’t help. Many ne w products presented in advertisements were promoted f or th e ir en er g y s aving an d th e ir re s i stan c e , an d that contributed to blurring the messag e sent out to the consumers Many companies a lso de cide d to push back the launching date of new products because they considered the moment wasn ’ t rig ht
for imposing new tastes and innovations that are on l y l i ttl e a dap te d to th e s i tuati on in th e arc h ipelago Other than Mother Nature’s deadly storms, yet a worse problem is weig hing on Japanese made pro du c ts . O ver th e p a st f or t y y e ar s , Jap a n e s e p r o d u c t s have a c q u i r e d a solid reputation for qualit y and resistance at home and abroad The following s l o g ans are g o o d rem in d er s o f the trust in those brands : “My Toyota is fantastic”, and “I dreamt it, Sony did it” Quality controls and the zero def au lt g uarante e were characteristic of the Japanese production system and the y insured a l l c ustom er s ’ s ati sf a c ti on Fu kus h ima’s nu c l e ar p o w er p l a nt a c c i d ent r u i n e d th e my th o f s e c urit y, and underl ine d wea knesses that may have a long -term impact on all of Japanese products. The consequences are hard to evaluate, but there is no solid reputation for quality and resistance
In many shops, such as this electric ware and camera store, being made in Japan has become a sales argument
doubt that e ver y th ing Made in Japan is g oing to pay the price The number of Japanese food products that have raised consumers ’ suspicion speaks for itself. Insidiously, alike invisible radioactivit y, doubt has spread to other categ ories of products
L o ss o f c onf i d en c e i s an i l l n e ss that n e e d s to b e rapidly healed before it g ets worse The challeng e is e ven g reater for Japan b e cause its industr y wa s a l r e a d y hur t w i th T ha i l a n d’s d i s a s tr o u s f l o o d s .
I NTERVIEW
change is Hara Kenya’s dream
How do you evaluate the meaning of “made in Japan” today ?
Tourism is also obviously unexploited
According to official statistics, more Japanese than Thai companies were hurt in the floods, thus paraly zing part of their contribution Ne e dless to say that the Japanese Industrials can ’ t be directly blam e d f or th e s e s i tuati ons , b ut th e y n e e d to re a c t qu ickly in order to re g a in the c onsumers hear ts, and recover serenit y. 2012 will be crucial for e ver y th i n g “ Ma d e i n Japan” Companies and th e i r emp l o y e e s w i l l need to show that they can meet quality, innovation and security, further more, that if there were to be a major catastrophe, most Japanese products would resist. Fukushima’s power plant events have darkened certain realities Ver y few people raised the f act that n o n e o f th e re g u l a r f a st tr a ins b e tween Tokyo and the Northeast of the Archipelago d er a i l e d d e sp i t e th e s tren g th o f th e trem o r, y e t ap p rox imate l y t we l ve o f th em were r unn ing o n t h e 1 1 t h o f Ma r c h a t 2 : 4 6 p m A n d o n l y f e w underline d that most building s, such a s S enda i's b eautif u l mu ltime d ia l ibrar y, resiste d the ear thqua ke, thus b oa sting Japanese know-how Other examples can be liste d, but it se ems like any thing e v e n r e l a t i v e l y c l o s e t o t h e i n d u s tr i a l s e c t o r i s stricken my Fukushima's curse. The Made in Japan n o ti o n n e e d s t o b e re invent e d a n d e xt en d e d t o other se ctors such as ser vices and the craf t industr y, t wo strong area s that conser ve a g o o d ima g e whether inside or outside the countr y Tourism is a l s o an o b vi o us are a , wh i c h i s sti l l lar g e l y un e xploited in the archipelago Over the past few years, efforts have be en made in attracting foreig n tourists, mainly Asian, but yet a lot can be done Japanese craftsmen’s skills needn't be proven, and their products are still ver y popular. Those are just a few f un dam enta l are a s that can h e lp Ma d e in Jap an pro ducts retrie ve prestig e while tr ust is reg a ine d in other fields Japanese should remember that less than a centur y a g o, their pro ducts were consider e d d o w n - m a r ke t . D e c a d e s w e r e n e e d e d t o demonstrate the opposite Today, if they make use of their past experience and dare explore new horizons, they could go further still with Japanese qual i t y S in c e Marc h 2 0 1 1 , awaren e ss i s f e lt Th ere is just one step lef t, and by Nikkei Business' next charts, Made in Japan products may just have regaine d the top of the list.
ODAIRA NAMIHEI
HARA Kenya : I think that the “made in Japan” label, that goes back to after the Second World World, has no more reason to be nowadays Industrially speaking, the production and conception of exportable products isn’t adapted anymore because all the other Asian countries are doing the same thing. Basically, I think we’re experiencing the end of the after war “made in Japan”. That is why it is necessary to try and define a new concept of what “made in Japan” is We’re at a very important time between two eras
How should that take form ?
H. K. : Until now, at the industrial l e v e l
duction that was characterized by high quality Nevertheless, the rest
compete with the same products
o
w “made in Japan” needs to develop according to other criteria, such as
a homogenous and millenary history It’s an important asset from which a n o r i g i n a l c o n c e p t , t u r n e d towards the future, could rise We n e e d t o f o r g e t a b o u t t e l e v i s i o n s , f r i d g e s , a n d t u r n t o w a r d s l i v i n g , the sense of welcome, tourism, or e v e n m e d i c a l a s s i s t a n c e t h a t a r e i m p o r t a n t fi e l d s f o r t h e a rc h i p elago’s future
And what is your role in defining the concept ?
H K : As a designer and an artist, I offer clues for the future and tr y to imagine what could happen
Could you develop your concept ?
H. K. : Culture is related to quite a limited territory It can be linked to a local vision of things But we can also ask ourselves if Japanese culture can bring a contribution to the r e s t o f t h e w o r l d . D u r i n g p e a k growth years, the Japanese never tried to project their culture further t h a n t h e i r b o r d e r s A l l t h e y w e r e thinking about was money and circ u l a t i o n C u l t u r e , i n i t s a e s t h e t i c dimension, was completely neglect e d B u t t h a t i s n ’t t h e c a s e a n ym o r e We a r e n o w i n a n e r a o f
Born in 1958, HARA Kenya is art director of Muji since 2001 and designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998 He has published “Designing Design”, in which he elaborates on the importance of “emptiness” in both the visual and philosophical traditions of Japan, and its application to design. In 2008, Hara partnered with fashion label Kenzo for the launch of its men's fragrance Kenzo Power He is considered a leading design personality in Japan and in 2000 had his own exhibition “Re-Design: The Daily Products of the 21st Century”.
maturing of the Japanese culture Take housing as an example In the past, the house was considered a b e l o n g i n g o n l y, o f c o m m e rc i a l value like others It wasn’t thought o f a s a s p a c e i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t Japan was nothing but a wide factory The whole territory was cover e d w i t h f a c t o r i e s b e c a u s e e v e r ything was seen from an economic angle But all of that has changed We have attained a new maturity. We are now capable of considering nature under a new light, and seize all of its beauty If we add our quality requirement to that, I think that it will now be possible to promote l o c a l t o u r i s m B y p u t t i n g t h a t t o use and remembering that Westerners were able to export their cult u r e o f h o t e l s i n t h e p a s t , I t h i n k that the Japanese can do the same thing In Japan, there is that sense of welcome and hospitality that we can make use of to imagine a new exportable made in Japan product On the other hand, it is still maybe t o o e a r l y t o s t a r t l a u n c h i n g o u r concept of housing, because there
are cultural obstacles to overcome Nevertheless, there are many possibilities relating to aesthetics. Our first objective has to be Asia In the past, we focused only on the United States and Europe marketwise, with electric ware and cars Now, we need to look towards the Asian c o n t i n e n t w h e r e l o c a l c u l t u r e , without being Japanese, has a base to which we can add new elements from our own culture, yet that are a d
p
nese housing to China or Indonesia yet, because it wouldn’t be very well p erc eiv ed
melt into the local culture I would
reflection.
ything is traditionally Japanese, t h e s e r v i c e i n c l u d e d . D o y o u c o n s i d e r t h a t a s b e i n g a g o o d e x a m p l e o f w h a t s
i d
W h a t h
s b e e n d o n e i n Ta ï w a n i s what I consider a kind of exoticism, meaning that it doesn’t really correspond to any local need A Japanese model was exported without t a k i n g i n a c c o u n t t h e l o c a l w a y s , t h a t ’s a l l I n t r a d i t i o n a l J a p a n e s e hostels, service is sometimes quite rigid For example, I’m thinking of diner that is served quite early That doesn’t necessarily correspond to w h a t c u s t o m e r s a r e e x p e c t i n g i n o t h e r c o u n t r i e s O n t h e o t h e r hand, service fundamentals such as politeness, simplicity, care and delic
d adapted. What I mean is that in its p
n Japan” needs to be linked to a different way of thinking It relates to the idea that culture, in it’s general meaning, is an essential ingredient for developing on other markets, as long as the local needs are c o
e c o u l d create ver y original hotels in Asia by offering ser vice fundamentals, but also by allowing the customers to take advantage of them at their own rythm It’s not any more comp l i c a t e d
constraints that should be respected
INTERVIEW BY O N
TRENDS From “made in” to “made with”
In aeronautics, the Japanese are betting on international cooperation to establish their technolog y.
In the field of aeronautics, the Japanese have acquired a solid reputation with their famous hunter Zero made by Mitsubishi in the late thirties. It’s reliance and maneuverability allowed the Japanese pilots to take control of the sky for months After the Second World War, the American occupation forces forbade Japan from owning any planes, dismantled companies specialized in aeronautics and banned Japanese Universities from teaching any class related to aviation The San Francisco treaty was signed in September 1951 and lead to the end of the American occupation in 1952 Practically immediately after, a blueprint law was voted for the reconstitution of a national aeronautic industr y In the space of a few years, the Japanese recreated a sector worthy of its name, and by the end of the fifties when the growth wa s at it’s p ea k and the obje ctives relating to the reconstruction were met, under the impulse of Shinmeiwa (the company), the authorities started thinking up a civilian plane called the YS-11 It was meant to become a symbol of Japan’s capacity to innovate in a sector considered to be strategic By deciding to transport the Olympic Flame to Tokyo aboard a YS11, in 1964, the Japanese authorities seized the opportunity to show the world the made in Japan reliance
At the same time, the Japanese were inaugurating the first Shinkansen rail line, a high-speed train, between Tokyo and Osaka
Nevertheless, the YS-11, a national pride, did not get the commercial success that had been anticipate d for it Despite 82 orders place d from abroad , only 182 planes in total were ever built because of their high cost on the international market To call it a commercial failure would however be exaggerated because the YS-11 accomplished the mission of b eing the amb a ssador of Jap anese te chno lo g ica l know-how. During the following years, with the mass development of tourism, including abroad, Japanese air companies called upon American technolog y to transport their passengers. The first delivery of a 747 to Japan Airlines in 1970 was a key moment The Japanese abandone d the pro duction of YS -11 in 1974, but they continued their research in aeronautics In addition, over the decades, Japanese industrials showe d their master of composite material, which currently allows them to play an important role in the development and the construction of the latest new born in the Boeing family : the 787 The participation of Japanese companies in its construction inspired an orig inal and interesting advertisement campaign by the American airplane company during the seven years required to build it. That is where the expression “Made with Japan” came from, replacing the famous “Made in Japan” A semantic
evolution with an importance of its own as it translates the change in mentalities on both sides of the Pacific The Japanese companies are far from having just a side role Their contribution in the conception of the wing s, the brea k s, and e ven the cabin show how important the collaboration was in this industrial operation. Its symbolic dimension is also ver y important One shouldn’t be surprised that it was ANA , a Japanese company, that was the first to reception a 787. The event, nothing less to the Japanese, was widely covered by the Japanese media during the f a l l of 2011. The dep ar ture from the USA and the arrival in Japan was broadcast on television and in newspapers, and many articles hig hlig hted “made with Japan” and its importance for the future of the countr y, as Japanese hig h technolog y was thus promoted through a commonly wellexported product
Th is a l lows for other de velopments to b e c onsidered in the sector of aeronautics. While the 787 was ready for take-off, Mitshubishi was already launching the a medium-haul airliner reminding of the YS-11 With MR J (Mitsubishi Reg ional Jet), the Japanese company that contribute d to the 787 is hoping to update made in Japan aeronautics. Already very implicated in developing the 787, ANA has placed a few orders to MR J that should be operational by 2015
O. N.
TECHNOLOGY Robots will make the difference
Whether for the future of their economy, or in ever yday life, Japanese rely on robots.
The car industry was the motor of our economy for several decades. It is time to turn a page, a n d e v o l v e t o wa rd s s o m e th i n g n e w Th i s something is robots.” TOMIDA Shigeru, Calio’s manager, is positive According to him, the ne xt g rowing c l u s te r i n Ja p a n i s r ob o ti c s Hi s c o mp a ny e x p e r iments with them a lot, and encourages young researche rs to l et the i r i m ag i n ati on o f f the l ea sh i n th i s rapidly evolving sector. Car constructors have apparently understood that things are changing and that the y need to adapt to the new order It is not sur prising that Honda and Toyota are first in line in this Japanese field of e xcellence Asimo, which was prese nted for the first time in 2000, is Hond a ’ s g reat pride In eleven years of e xistence, this robot whose first steps astonished us all, has made extraordinary prog ress. Now it can run fast, including on uneven ground, it has learned to avoid obstacles and behaves autonomously in certain situations. On it’s own side, Toyota has also been working on humanoids, but it is now focusing on machines that are capable of helping people with reduced mobility. Last fall, it launched two “ nurse ” robots that caused a sensation The first one of them helps people with articulation problems walk The second one helps someone sick with g o i ng f r o m h i s b e d to th e to il e t s w ith o u t n e e di ng
C OMPUTING
jworld champions, again
apan has reached peak heights in many fields, and it owes it partly to capacity of powerful computers’ to calculate and help scientists in their research” they say Fujitsu. For years, the computing company that has been working on developing a new machine that is capable of solving extremely complex equations at an incredible speed, launched a great communication campaign at the end of 2011 aiming to promote Japan’s “power” in that field. After a terrible year for Japan, Fujitsu’s initiative was to promote both its own products, as well as all of the country’s, in order to comfort the population that has been inclined to be miserable lately “During the 21rst century, the technological challenges will grow in complexity In the transport sector for example, the equipment will need to be fast running, resistant, reliant and ecological In order to bring together all these parameters, complicated calculations are required For weather forecast, it’s the same thing Elaborating reliant climatic models by using all the data collected over the past 100
what with pro-
s already confronted to such
e in the coming years And oyota ’ s made in Japan robots er companies, big and small, e
mob il i zi ng to p roctor. At Tokyo’s technol og y Osamu ha s d evel oped a s ysroject themselves in the surt , a n d th u s a d a p t to it . He attempt to build a relation real world”. If the re is still y o n e i s awa r e th a t th i s i s a n Ja p a n ” c a n ga i n p op ul apeaks.
In 2011, Fujitsu broadcasted a advertisement campaign on television to promote its super computer Kei, the most powerful in the world, making Japan very proud The video clip can be visualized here: http://jad fujitsu com/adver/supercomputer
years also requires phenomenal calculating capacities This is just a minute idea of the possibilities the new super Keinx computer can offer” they insist at Fujitsu
The Japanese company contributes to increasing the Japanese Industry and the
made in Japan radiance It consists in advanced technology of course, but it is a pride shared by a great number of people By insisting on the direct impact that this machine can have on Japanese’ every day life, Fujitsu intends to associate the
whole population to its success In other words, the company’s managers would like the population to identify with their success, once more, as it used to, not so long ago
O.
MANGA Fantasy on all floors
RyUgamIne mikado is a young teenager who dreams of the exciting life of big cities. when his childhood friend KIda masaomi invites him, he gets transferred to a high school in Ikebukuro, in the northern quarters of the capital. masaomi warns him about some people he should avoid: a violent man dressed as a barman, an informant and a mysterious gang called “dollars”, and a biker with no head. To crown with this, mikado witnesses an urban legend on his first day in town: the biker with no head riding a black motorbike.
That’s how Durarara!! starts, one of japan’s great fantasy successes. adapted as a manga by saToRIgI akiyo in 2009, then as an animation series a year later, the story has been given new dimensions. It can now be read in english, the two first volumes have just been released under yen press with the diversity of the characters’ own stories, this manga is a great success that deserves to figure in every enlightened amateur’s bookcase.
Gabriel Bernard durarara!! by narita Ryohgo et satorigi akiyo, yen press editions, £7.99
MUSIQUE mr. children is back
T HIS MONTH’S EVENT
we had been without news of them for three years. The 18th of april, the members of one of the 90s most prolific bands, released a new single that calls back all their talent composed as credits for the movie Bokura ga ita (We were there) by mIKI Takahiro, a current great success, Inori (Prayer) and Pieces again show mr. children’s composition competences, whether it is the music or the lyrics. while waiting for the album to be released, the band has started touring, with three of the record’s pieces in the front line.
Toy's Factory, TFCC-89371
CINEMA Himizu
sono shion is one of japan’s most promising film directors. He was sensational with Love Exposure (Ai no mukidashi, 2008) in which he delivers a singular and iconoclastic version of jun-ai (pure love), while decrypting in detail the social dysfunctions mining the japanese postmodern society He’s back with Himizu, that will be released on june the 1rst. partly filmed in the regions devastated by the march, 11th 2011 tsunami, this powerful movie is an adaptation of FURUya minoru’s eponymous manga in which are the ways a middle school student copes with situations oF stress are highlighted. again, sono shion shows how talented he is, even if he’s not yet at his best
ICA Cinema in London from June 1st-14th, Prince Charles Cinema in London from June 1st-7th
STAGE
When William Shakespeare wrote Cymbeline in 1608, one of his last creations with The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest, there is little chance he could have imagined that his play would one day be staged and interpreted by a Japanese company NINAGAWA Yukio directs a company that holds his name This isn’t his first Shakespearian adaptation, and he’s always shown extraordinary ability in grasping this great author’s universe So here he goes now with Cymbeline This Britain King destines his daughter, Imogen, to his stepson, Cloten. But she prefers Posthumus, a commoner So he runs away to Rome where he meets I a c h i m o , who decides to seduce the i m p e c c a b l e and faithful I m o g e n That marks the beginning of a whole series of twists and turns Jealousy, treachery, plots, loves torments, real fake deaths punctuate the ongoing play It is a masterpiece of complexity at many levels of its reading that combines tragedy and comedy in turn, and in the intrigues that add up without ever being disconcerting The stager makes a good choice in calling upon the great actor ABE Hiroshi, known for his interpretations in KORE-EDA Hirokazu’s movies In his role as Posthumus, that he plays wonderfully, the artist takes on a great challenge with help from his front row partners, amongst which ÔTAKE Shinobu Performed in Tôkyô in April, the play will be on at the Barbican from May 29th until June the 2nd at 7:15 pm, as part of the World Shakespeare Festival An occasion to discover a Japanese version of Shakespeare, dubbed in English. Enjoy!
A beautiful retrospective dedicated to the 83-year-old artist allows to grasp both the diversity and the radicalism of her art.
Upon arriving to Miyanoura harbour, on the island of Naoshima, the first thing that you notice is a gigantic red pumpkin covered in black spots Signed by KUSAMA Yayoi, this piece of art has become one of the symbols of this island that has been turned into a contemporary art centre. The artist left another one of her pumpkins – yellow this time – next to the Benesse House, as a reminder to the visitor of her obsession with dots, present in many of her works She, who now lives in a “psychiatric hotel”, is often considered close to crazy. But that’s far from being the case The retrospective that the Tate Modern dedicates to her corrects this reductive way of presenting her “I saw my first dots when I was ten, and I still see them today” says the artist born in 1929, who was trained at the Kyôto art school, despite a family that was little inclined to understanding her enthusiasm for painting.
After the war, Japan’s defeat and Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s nuclear bombing , like many other artists, the young woman was strongly influenced by the show that nuclear fire left behind Before scattering dots across her pa inting s, her works from that p erio d are characterized by a heavy and deadly atmosphere After being encouraged to move to New York by a psychiatrist, she disembarked there in 1957 and was soon to be noticed, what with her white and coloured monochromes, reminders of Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Jones Nobody before had ever been so devoted to them as she was, on gigantic canvases with the same brush movements repeated infinitely, as if she were tr ying to reach the void Her works then evolved to focus on the use of objects of consumption, opening the way for other artists
KusAmA posing in Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show 1963 Installation view, Gertrude stein Gallery, New York
life is a lost dot amongst thousands of other dots
to dig down that path She continued with her dots, and explained that her “ life is a lost dot amongst thousands of other dots” That inspired her funny-looking wood structures, covered with mirrors and sheltering larg e balloons fille d with helium, bet we en floors and ceilings covered with coloured discs. The environments she creates are altogether enveloping , enchanting and frig htening . In New York, she was part of the dissenting movements in the 60s She organised happenings in which young women and men, as well as herself, walked around naked with big coloured dots painted on their bodies, forming a joyous
fray or walking through the streets
Tired of all the agitation, she returned to Japan and buried herself into her work again Dark collages at first, then environments covere d with mirrors in which little multi-coloured lights replace the dots: proof that KUSAMA Yayoi’s artwork cannot be reduced to dots.
The recurrence of the pattern must not g et in the way of showing the great diversity of her artwork, which the Tate Modern’s retrospective shows with more recent pieces By choosing to live in a psychiatric environment, the 83-year-old artist also plays with our will to interpret her p e culiar work But it doesn’t stop her from travelling to inaug urate her exhibitions, neither from working in her workshop ever y day She may thus go back to a more systematic use of dots in new “environments”. In a close d area, mirrors increase the number of dots infinitely around the visitor, such as with The Passing Winte r ( 2 0 0 5 ) . Yo u sti l l have tim e to imm er s e y o urself into this incomparable universe Once more, the Tate Modern shows its capacity to honour artists whose work is characterised by extreme radicalism and obvious orig inality And for those of you who can ’ t g et enoug h of KUSAMA Yayoi’s art, and who are able to travel to Japan, you may be interested to know that hundre d of her more re cent pie ces are c urrentl y b e ing s h own at Sa i tama ’ s Mo d ern Ar t Museum, North of Tôkyô This exhibition goes on until the 20th of May
GABRIEL
pRacTIcal InFoRmaTIon
KUsama yayoI Tate modern, level 4, Bankside, london se1 9Tg, Tel 020 7887 8888 open every day from 10 00 – 18 00 and late night until 22.00 on Friday and saturday. £10, concessions available. Until june 5th.
BERNARD
DVD on living happily ever after
In Roujin Z, the author of Akira tackles a burning subject. Unfortunately, Kitakubo’s adaptation doesn’t draw to its level.
one of the companies that has been dealing with advertisement in the press is ca lle d Franc e B e d . In sp ite of its name, it isn’t French, but it dea ls with selling a ll kinds of be ds Lately, it has been promoting its medical range that is specialised for elderly people. Japan, as it has been said, has entered a phase of accelerated ageing of the population. They call this phenomenon kôreika shakai ( highly ageing society) that says a lot about the countr y Currently, 23,1 % of the Japanese population is over 65 years old, which when compared to Great Britain’s 15 %, constitutes a real challenge and ra ises many deb ates . In order to understand the heig ht of this challeng ing problem, all you need is to be reminded that 65 % of victims in the tsunami that devastated the North-East of Japan on March the 11th 2011 were over 60 years old It isn’t new, and this issue has been shaking the countr y for approximately th ir t y years now, since the authorities started noticing that the birth rates kept falling while on the other hand, life was getting longer as medicine was progressing At the time, centenarians were still rare and were reported on in the ne wspap ers Nowadays, it ha s b e come common Thirt y years ag o, Japan was at its economic peak , and the debate on ag eing could be summed up to building beautiful villages in Spain, where the golden ageing Japanese could happily end their days. In 1991, the bursting of the financia l bub b le soun-
ReFeRence
RoUjIn z by KITaKUBo Hiroyuki, screenplay by ÔTomo Katsuhiro, Kaze, £17 20 (dVd), £14 99 (Blu-Ray)
To be released on june the 11th 2012
ded the knell of these crazy projects, and bought the Japanese back down to earth. The problem couldn’t be exported, so it had to be dealt with on the spot, with ma ke do and mend Facing the lack of arms in the elderly person ’ s care sector, Japanese companies started developing technologies to help accompany ageing .
Societies such as France Bed, but also better-known Toyota , have invested in research In 1991, Roujin Z was screened for the first time in Japan, with animation signed by KITAKUBO Hiroyuki in a screenplay written by ÔTOMO Katsuhiro. In a close future, societ y experiences a serious problem with ag eing population Old people’s homes are crammed, and lacking staff So the Ministr y of Health decides to launch the Roujin Z project It consists in placing elderly people in robotised beds equipped with artificial intellig ence that has yet to be invented The first patient to benefit from one of these is calle d TEZAWA He is treated by Haruko, a young intern nurse She understands from the old man that the solution may well become a real problem. The stage is set With this topic, ÔTOMO Katsuhiro,
to whom we owe the wonderful Akira (1988), let his unleashed imag ination run free, and shows us once more his aptitude in understanding the current climate Incidentally, he has lately been working on a new series of manga that also deals with today’s Japan But relating to Roujin Z, other than the question of how to handle the ageing society, what is particularly interesting is the relation that man maintains with ro b ots . In the movie, T EZ AWA, a long since widower, will recognise his deceased wife the love of his life, in the z-001 robot It’s as if his wife were going to reincarnate in the robot, so sug g ests the Budd ha at the end of the movie: a symbol of reincarnation This shows that Japanese animation can produce interesting and profound stories in terms of top ics . Th is doesn’t mean that Roujin Z is the animation of the centur y Its production leaves much to be desired KITAKUBO Hiroyuki, who later on directed Blood : The Lats Vampire, hasn’t yet reached his best The animation doesn’t level with the story, and that ruins some of the pleasure But you can ’ t let the looks stop you from going any further, insofar as it is a premonitor y The topic that is tackled is still ver y current, as already said Recall Ikigami, Ultimate Limit ( VizMedia) by MASE Motorô. It’s not about dealing with a g eing p e op le, but with the re g u lation of a g eing by anticip ating and de cid ing random ly on who should die Our Western countries should soon be catching up on those rates, it may b e a g o o d idea to watch Roujin Z as of now.
ODAIRA NAMIHEI
The relation between man and robots is also tackled in this 1991 animation film
LITERATURE dial c for crime
This is a rendez-vous with one of Japan’s best authors. The Devotion Of Suspect X shows the maturity that crime novels have reached in the archipelago.
after the S econd World War, Japanese crime literature experienced the same diversification as in the West The same categories of crime novels as in the rest of the world can now be found in Japan. I think it can be said that Japanese crime literature has reached the level set by AngloS a xon countries. On the othe r hand , Fre nch-st yl e psychological novels are almost inexistent From that point of view, there are differences between French
crime novels and those written in Japan A neo-traditionalist trend also emerged, related to the increase in popularity of video games in the 80s It’s comeback that puts forth myster y, enig ma , and une x pl ained murders. I think this phenomena is not ver y widespread in other countries”, expla ins G ONDA Manji, one of the best crime novel specialists in Japan. Amongst the authors he stands up for and exposes, are H I G A S H I N O Ke i
work i s recognised for his meticulous writing and orig inal intrig ues as you may read for yourself in The Devoti
approach, by leading the reader into the meanders of thought and the torments that haunt the stories’ characters. With The Devotion O f Suspect X, you
o n Indeed, this is a classic crime novel in all its form
As soon as the first pages, the reader discovers who the victim and the murderer are It’s an investig ati on in th e mann er o f C o lum b o , b ut wi th m ore subtlety Of course the whole investigation process is dismantled in order to involve the reader in the p ol ice’s rea son ing . It is wel l de velop e d , but a l ittle cla ssica l Af ter a ll , a crime novel stays a crime novel. Whate ver the investig ation, a libis ne e d to b e che cke d , the ories ne e d to b e confronte d , and th e d e ta i l that wi l l a l l ow to e xp o s e th e crim ina l needs to be discovered
But HIGASHINO’s stor y isn’t without disconcerting the p o l ic emen in their investig ation, who f ac e a prett y c omp l icate d ca se H A NAO K A Ya su ko’s exhusband kept on harassing her in her own home, until she and her daug hter, still in middle school, kil l h im Pro b lem is, her neig hb our I S H I G A M I, a math’s teacher, heard ever ything and offers to help cover up the crime He commits to g etting rid of
the body, and g ives her g uidelines on what to tell th e p
h b o ur thinks up ever y little detail of the investig ation, so such as with a maths exercise that one tries to undo bit by bit, the reader follows the police’s investig ation backwards It is so impressive that you mig ht end up liking maths !
The policemen’s deductions and experience aren ’ t sufficient in undoing the complexit y of the ca se They need support. It is given by one of ISHIGAMI’s friends, who ends up understand ing the ins and
Higashino’s novel is solid, ingenious, a sort of perfect crime
crime” that he offers
n
y l ittle by l ittle that you understand why Ish ig am i g ave such instr uctions to h is neig hb our and her daug hter. Other than solving this “mathematical” enig ma , the author a lso ta kes interest in the characters ’ psycholog y, in what really motivates them. Why is ISHIGAMI prote cting his neig hbour when h e ri s k
? An d h ow can the mother and daughter live with such a crime
at the same le vel a s the Europ ean and American g enre D o n ’ t wa i t t o d i ve i
Suspect X, unless you ’ ve got something more urgent to do.
RéFéRence
THe deVoTIon oF sUspecT X by HIgasHIno Keigo, translated by alexander o. smith with elye j. alexander, abacus, £7.99
G B
EXHIBITION The wonderful land of Hello Kitty
Until June 24th, at the SCVA, you can meet the characters who have been populating Japanese ever yday life for the past fifty years.
Bye Bye Kitt y!!! No, this is no joke. A little over a year ag o, New York’s Japan Societ y wa s hosting an exhibition with that title. It united the cream of contemporary Japanese artists who reject kawaii (cute) culture embodied by the now famous Hello Kitt y. Gladly provocative, the g uest artists showed their work that breaks off the sm o o th a sp e c t o f th e c hara c ter s that stem f rom manga and video games Japan is flooded with these characters that are used to communicate all kinds of messa g es . When tourism wa s on a downward slant, a specialised company was contacted to think up a c ha r a c t er that w o u l d b e d e c l i n e d i n ma ny forms in order to attract customers In Kumamoto, o n Ky ûs hû Is l a n d , a Kum a mon wa s l aun c h e d , a bear with a friendly face. He was elected best character of the year 2011, and allowed to reboost tourism and g enerate a 2,5 billion yen turnover (192 millions £) with by-products Not as fun, but just as efficient, a few years ag o a Japanese nuclear subsidiar y that wanted to convince the population of its power stations’ leg itimac y, invented the Plutokun character in 1991, whose mission was to carr y a message The day after the accident of Fukushima Da i c h i ’ s p ower p lant , a f e w sp iri ts o f g ri e f cam e back to remind how important these characters are in the Japanese societ y
pRacTIcal InFoRmaTIon
japan: KIngdom oF cHaRacTeRs sainsbury centre for Visual arts, University of east anglia norwich, nR4 7Tj , Tel. 01603 593199
Tuesday to sunday 10am - 5pm. jusqu'au 24 juin. admission is free
It is a lso what the Japan : Kingdom of Characte rs e x h i b i ti on i s a b o ut , at th e Sa insb ur y C entre f or V isual Arts until June 24th. Nevertheless, it is less critica l Inde e d, supporte d by the Japan Foundation, an official organisation, this exhibition works f o r th e p ro m o ti o n o f what i s c a l l e d Cool Ja p a n , meaning Japanese popular culture that is broadcasted via mang as and animation movies. S o t h e r e i s n ’ t mu c h d e t a c hm e nt f r o m t h e p h enomenon and its implications in Japanese society, althoug h a few explanations are g iven The idea is to build a non-exhaustive list, yet packe d with as many p ossib le characters from that “ mena g erie” that brings dreams to whole wide world The main interests reside firstly in the temporal division, that shows the visitor that this phenomenon isn’t new, it has existed for over fifty years now Secondly, in m e e ting a c er ta in num b er o f c hara c ter s that are s t i l l un kn o w n i n t h e We s t T h e Ja p a n e s e a r e obviously ver y proud of th is cu ltura l herita g e, it a llows them to exist in the e yes of the rest of the world as they are practically absent from the internationa l politica l scene But what does it matter By g o ing f rom on e ro om to an o th er, e a c h l i ve l y coloured, the visitor discovers the icons of contemporar y Japan From Ultraman to Pokemon, Dorae-
mon or e ven the eternal Hello Kitt y, it’s on a journe y throug h time that the Sa insbur y Centre for Visual Arts welcomes you. And you end up understand ing that obsession for these characters, why the Jap anese can ’ t ima g ine l iving without them, and in a cer ta in way, why we Westerners, end up falling for them After visiting that exhibition, you wil l without doubt pay more attention to them, all the more if you ’ re not yet familiar with the universe of Cool Japan.
All one can hope for next, is to have the pleasure of seeing the Bye Bye Kitty!!! exhibition some time, that hasn’t yet crossed the Atlantic.
eaTIng & dRInKIng
Harumi, the Housewife’s Heroine
despite her status as domestic superstar (over 22 million books sold in japan, a chain of shops, her own homeware range)
Harumi Kurihara still retains the image of ordinary housewife, or ‘shufu’. The celebrity writer likes to recall how her mother would rise at five each morning to prepare breakfast, cooking three meals a day for the family (and often the employees of her father’s small printing company).
‘Harumi’s japanese cooking’ is Kurihara’s first english cookbook, aiming to “demystify the cuisine”. Her egg drop soup is a great place to start, combining the three basic flavours that underlie most of her recipes: dashi (fish stock, preferably made from kombu seaweed and dried fish flakes), mirin (a type of sweetened alcohol), and soy sauce
Thickened with cornflour, beaten eggs are simply added to the piping hot mixture, and garnished with spring onions or fresh green herbs. easy, delicious and refreshing a chatty writing style, modern, but rooted in tradition, a brief flick through the pages of this accessible book should have you running for your nearest asian supermarket
Harumi’s Japanese cooking, by Harumi Kurihara, published by Conran Octopus Limited, GDP 14 99 from JP BOOKS
RESTAURANT a taste of Kyushu, in marylebone
Japanese food for many people means one thing – sushi. Tempura , tonkatsu curr y and bento boxes may also fig ure, but it’s sushi that dominates.
It may be the national dish, but spend a short time in Japan and you’ll discover a country obsessed by food Dishes for each season, every region, exquisitely refined, or for munching down at roadside stalls Z oom magazine hopes to bring this incredible variety to these pages, beginning with Kyushu, Japan’s third largest island, known for its hot spring s and Onsen restorts, but also its’ cooking
At CoCoRo, a well established Izakaya style restaurant near Bond Street station, the speciality of the house is Kyushu cuisine, with the owner and many of the staff coming from the island.
Their Chicken Nanban is from Miyazaki prefecture, known for its poultry farms. Its name though, actually refers to Portug uese sailors, who were some of the first outsiders to trade with Japan, and introduced the method of pickling fish in vinegar to preser ve it
CoCoRo’s Tonkotsu ramen is from Kumamoto prefecture, a mild version, masking the strong pork smell with seven varieties of garlic ( ginger is used in the more dominant Hakata Tonkotsu from Fukuoka city in the north).
The broth is key to a good ramen In the kitchen here they make theirs from scratch, boiling the bones for up to 10 hours, g iving it a creamy, gravy-like consistenc y. The soup is then garnished with pickles, bamboo shoots, sesame seeds and a boiled egg. The all-important chashu (tender slices of pork belly) finish the dish
Here the chicken is deep fried with a light batter, then soaked in a vinegar marinade, and served with tartar sauce, glistening gelatine, and a lettuce salad
CoCoRo’s head chef Hiroaki Sato also makes his ver y own adaptation, adding peach slices which he rolls inside the chicken
The sharp, sweet, intense flavours of the sauce and marinade match perfectly with the succulent chicken, juicy inside its crispy outer coating . It’s a powerful, moreish taste
On the restaurant ’ s ground floor seating is Western, while downstairs in the shochu bar, it’s Japanese st yle, with sunken tables separated by roller blinds Ever y available space here is taken up with brightly labelled bottles of this versatile Japanese drink (350 varieties available at the last count) Distilled from barley, sweet potato, or brown sugar among others things, it can be drunk neat, on the rocks, mixed with tea, or flavoured with fruit juices Concerts are often held here, classical as well as shamisen playing , and traditional dancing , if you ’ re lucky Perhaps on nights like these, when the shochu flows, you might imagine climbing the stairs and out, not into another London street, but a balmy evening in the coastal spa town of Beppu, with wisps of steam rising up behind you, and a trace of sulphur in the air
Out at large from Hiroshima, a site registered as UNESCO World Heritage will make you picture-crazy.
By choosing to write about Miyajima in the ma in c o l umn , th e n e xt qu e sti o n i s what p i c t ur e t o c h o o s e f o r t h e o p en i n g . T h e i s l a n d f a c ing Hiro s h ima i s s o b e auti f u l that th e choice was far from easy. Even the worst of photographers can take decent pictures of the place, as if prote cte d by G o ds re qu iring that a l l p ictures b e wor thy o f th e i s lan d’s b e aut y. In d e e d , Mi ya j ima is a sacre d place for shintoïsm that Japanese have
b e en travelling to for centuries, b efore ma ss tourism turned it into a gigantic open-air tourist shop. According to the shintoïst relig ion, a sacred area is identified as such by the presence of torri, an arch that s ymb o l ica l ly mark s the sep aration b et we en the physical world and the spiritual world Miyajima’s is impossible to miss because of its size and its position in the sea That is why the picture of th i s b e auti f u l t o r i i s e em e d o b v i o u s a n o b v i o u s choice to illustrate the beg inning of the article It is also a ver y symbolical way to carr y you away to th is p lac e that is re g istere d a s U N E S C O World Heritage since 1996 The view only of this impres-
sive torii is worth the visit, e ven if you don’t have time to see anything else on the island. When the s e a i s h i g h
What more to say about Itsukushima’s sanctuar y (6:30 am – 6pm, 300 yens), right behind this gigantic p or ta l ? Bu ilt on stilts, the b eautif u l bu ild ing floats on the sea that transforms it into a beautiful
How To go
dependIng FRom wHeRe yoU leaVe, count 10 minutes (miyajimaguchi station), 32 minutes (Hiroshima harbor) or 45 minutes (peace park) by boat.
The 52 feet high torii precedes the Itsukushima’s beautiful sanctuary built over the sea
encourage the visitor to look towards the sea
red orang e boat at hig h tide, contrasting with the dark tints of the water And if you ’ re lucky enoug h to have the sun shining on this larg e edifice, it will be sufficient to fill a whole photo album. Its beauty comes from its plain architecture that adapts perfectly to the surrounding natural environment. It is said to have been founded in 593, but most building s that compose it were built six hundred years later by Ta ira no Kiyomori who wa s the re g ion’s governor It is easy to understand why he chose this place that nob o dy cou ld e ver g et tire d of. There are many visitors The y sometimes come by ferr y from Hiroshima after a short crossing of the inland sea ’ s calm waters. The symbiosis between all elements contributes to g iving the location its mag nificence that s o m e c o mp a re t o th e Mo nt- S a i nt-M i c h e l . An d as a matter of fact, both locations are t wined and the visitor is informed of that as soon as he hits the terminal Further away, after have passed Itsukushima’s sanctuar y ; the visitor will come face to face with a shop humbly called Saint-Tropez . It is also true that Miyajima’s climate is closer to the French Riviera’s than that of Cornish Coa st. But it’s the o n l y p o i nt i n c o mm o n b e t w e en b o th r e g i o n s , because in spite of its charms and its histor y, SaintTr o p e z c a n ha r d l y c o mp e t e w i th th e Jap a n e s e Island’s bewitching beaut y As it is of ten the case in the archipelag o, spring and autumn are the two b e st s e a s ons o f th e y e ar to vi s i t Mi ya j ima Temp er at ur e s a r e m i l d , r a i n i s s c a r c e , a n d th e o f t en a z ur e -b l u e s ky b r i n g s o ut th e verm i l l i o n o f th e sacre d bu ild ing s But Kang ensa i festiva l g o es on during the summer, and it p ays tribute to sacre d music with a stream of de c orate d b o ats that sa il under the impressive 52 fe et hig h torii. This festiva l ta kes place b et we en the end of July and the beginning of Aug ust, according the lunar calendar Althoug h the island was used for residenc y at different times in histor y, today it continues to be a
sa cre d p la c e wh ere c erem on ies such a s sh into ïst wedding s can be seen The sanctuar y is dedicated to G o d Susano o ’ s thre e daug hters, whose eldest, Itsukushima , is Goddess of the sea . Its appellation suits it perfectly, and she insures its protection, presumably delig hted to have g iven her name to such a beautif ul structure Spreading over approximately ten feet, the sanctuar y is composed of several building s linked by bridg es and galleries that inva-
one can turn back towards the terminal, and meet wi l d d e er ( l i ke in Nara ) , th e y aren ’ t s hy an d are always happy to snack on something In fact, they love paper, so be careful you don’t have any showing. Nevertheless, it’s a better idea to continue the visit of the island. There wil l a lways b e time to bump into greedy wildlife Behind Itsukushima’s sanctuary is a little path that leads to the Daishô -in Buddhist temple. All the way up to this relig ious building is
riably encourage the visitor to look towards the sea and it’s majestic torii One realizes how big it is when from a distance, espe cia lly at low tide when hundreds of people g et closer to it to take pictures and leave a fe w coins with a wish Pa st the sanctuar y,
lined with numerous statues whose sometimes surprising expressions may also delight photo amateurs Do ta ke the time to enjoy this little wa lk up that will lead you to a terrace with a beautiful panoramic view And if you ’ re lucky, you may g et to see a
Alike in Nara, visitors are welcomed on miyajima by wild deer that enjoy the presence of human beings, especially if food is spared.
▶ There are many statues in Daishô-in, and nice encounters can be made
Ideally, you could spend a night on the island
monk praying to the sound of his drum, a unique moment in a truly enchanting atmosphere But this is just a side dish, substantial and sufficient indeed for a rea sonab le tourist Althoug h there is a lso a main course : climbing Mount Misen, the hig hest peak of the island that can be reached by cable car (9:00 am to 5:00 pm, 1000 yens for a one-way, 1800 yens for a return ticket). It takes twenty minutes to walk to the cable car ’ s departure, but you will not b e the on ly one wa iting in l ine to se e the b eautiful view from Mount Misen. You can count up to a t wo -hour wa it before ta king board in the cable car f or th e f i f te enminute ride up It is better to start with this visit e arl y in th e m orn ing ; you may want to give up later in the day. Ideally, you could spend a nig ht on the island in order to be there before the mass of tourists’ arrival Several hotels offer different prices according to the view they offer, of the sea or not Obviously, when you ’ re in such a heaven ly p la c e, it is a dvisa b le to p lan a hig her budg et than for Hiroshima where one may s e ttl e f or a m ore ord inar y h o te l Am ong st th e addresses to know on Miyajima , Kinsuikan offers luxurious rooms with a view on the torii (starting at 18 000 yens a nig ht, diner and breakfast included) Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto doesn’t have much to envy either with its 400 years of histor y and its outside baths (starting at 18 900 yens, diner and breakfast included) Last but not least, the Benten No Yado Itsukushima offers a bath with a panoramic vie w that justifies the price, a s well a s delicious cooking with local oysters (starting at 15 750 yens, diner and breakfast included ) Those are yet again more great occasions of taking wonderful pictures, whether at dawn or dusk .
GABRIEL BERNARD
LANGUAGE your first steps in mishima’s language
Pipo is leaving England, ready to immerse himself. The first step of his captivating expedition is about learning how to greet: it’s easy and… essential.
The big day has arrived, take-off to Japan, finally Like any young Brit that is fascinated with Japanese culture, and has long dreamt of the day he would set foot in the archipelag o, Pipo decides that time has come to confront fantasies with reality. On such a day, it’s no more time to organize, plan, or study But rather savour the excitement as someone who’s prepared, combined with the doubt of a first year Japanese student, who wonders if he or she has the level, after all. It’s about looking worthy, or maybe just showing off
In the plane, seated, you wait Alike in a waiting room, and despite sle ep weig hing you down, you ’ re on the lookout for the moment you’ll have to g ive it a shot S o you g o throug h the lexica l and semantic memories in your brain, and realize that you remember enpitsu, shinbun and terebi, but you can ’ t think of how to say hello anymore, although it may certainly come in handy.
はじめまして。
Hajimemashite
My pleasure
Than k g o o dness, it’s com ing back The conf usion that c a n b e i mp l i e d b y that w o rd i s re l at e d t o th e p over t y of Japanese phonetics, combine d with the syllabic structure of the lang uag e Until it’s integrated in a sentence so that pronunciation mistakes may be heard, the risk of miss wording , with vag ue involuntar y spoonerisms, remains. So, in order to avoid a ny ha j i m ema s h i ta , ha j i ma m e s h i t e o r o th er ha j i -
memasheti, tr y doing like Pipo : endlessly repeating aloud until your ears are trained to knowing whether you ’ ve pronounced rig ht or wrong . Then only may you develop :
はじめまして。ピポです。よろしくお願 �� い します。
Hajimemashite. Pipo desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. Hello, my name is Pipo It is my pleasure to meet you
Wel l that sounds l ike prop er Jap anese It’s c om ing along To the point of feeling exhilarated Yoroshiku onegai shimasu… It is an expression that is often used in conversations as well as written in letters or emails For he or she who wishes to go further than the limited linguistic context of a touristic experience, it necessarily constitutes the premises of a good relationship, solid trust, perfect complicity, even a sincere friendsh ip Whate ver the outc ome of the enc ounter, th is ma g i ca l f ormu la i s e ss enti a l whate ver th e re lati on implied British culture has no equivalent, and a literal translation would look like this: I am in the hands of your indulg ence. What it really means is that it’s a plea sure to me et the p erson, and you hop e you’ll both get along . This being said, readers, I thank you for your goodwill
PIERRE FERRAGUT
pRacTIce
THe woRd oF THe monTH
出発 ����� (shuppatsu) : departure
出発 ����� はいよいよ今日 ��� ですね。
Shuppatsu wa iyoiyo kyô desu ne so when is your great departure planned for? Today?
