Is the percentage of men over 50 years old who have never been married. Twenty years ago, it was only 5%. This alarming figure is an indication of the impoverishment of Japanese society. Unable to attain a suitable social status, many men remain single and childless.
A DAY IN JAPAN BY
Eric Rechsteiner
May 10th 2012, in Kawasaki
an increasing number of companies offer
to discover the
especially at nightfall It is a way of paying tribute to the industrial heritage that, in the past, drove Japan to the top.
POLITICS Ishihara plans to buy the Senkaku Islands
The Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese) have been at the centre of disagreement between Japan and China for many years. The famously nationalistic governor of Tokyo, Ishihara Shinataro, has found a way of preventing the government from acceding to Chinese demands. He has decided to try to buy the islands on behalf of the city. And in the space of one month,
he was able to collect over 900 million yen towards purchasing them.
BIRTH RATES Fewer nappies
Unicharm, a company specializing in the production of nappies, lately revealed that for the first time in its history, sales of adult nappies are higher than those for babies This evolution not only underlines the ageing population (23.3 % Japanese are over 65 years old), it also highlights the fall in birth rates.
Although Japanese industry is said to be ailing,
cruises
industrial sites in the Tokyo bay area Whether Haneda airport’s new runway that was built at sea, or the huge refineries, tourists are pleased to experience the strange shapes and colours,
Front cover picture by Jérémie Souteyrat
YOUTH Society’s morale is at rock bottom
A sur vey commissioned by the government reveals that Japanese youth does not view life through rose-tinted glasses.
Our youth has lost its dreams” was the Yomiuri S h i m b un ’ s ma i n h e a d l i n e o n Ma y 4 th Japan’s main daily newspaper published and ana ly ze d the results of the sur vey that was commissioned by the g overnment for
i t s a nnua l rep o r t o n c h i ld ren an d y o uth ( Ko d omo wakamono hakusho) And, apparently, young Japanese a re un hap p y Th e y w o rr y a b o ut th e i r f ut ure , e sp e -
c i a l l y emp l o y m ent , th e i r
i n c o m e a n d th e i r re ti rement. 82.9 % of the 15 and
2 9 y e a r s o l d s q u e s ti o n e d
e xp re ss e d f e a r re l ati n g t o th e p o ss i b i l i t y o f f i n d i n g a job with decent pay Retirem ent c o m e s s e c o n d a s a s o urc e o f a n x i e t y w i th 81 5%, with worries about finding a job at all coming in third (79 6 %) This precarious situation has indeed b e come a rea lit y for many young p e ople, including those with university degrees When compared with their parents ’ experience, this has become a worr ying pre o c c up ati on e ven f or y o ung p e op l e wi th h i g h er education diplomas Employment rates are dropping and many students prefer to stay on long er at university rather than be confronted with a job market that promises ver y little satisfaction. In this study by the g overnment, it is interesting to
note that work is no long er c onsidere d a sourc e of self-fulfillment. To the question “ What do you look for in work?”, 63 % say “ a source of income” Only 15 % reply “ to satisf y my hopes and dreams”. This is also radically different from the past The young are increasing ly divorced from a societ y in which they cannot f in d a ro l e to p lay
Training seminar for new employees
that
l l have n
been answered at the political level The greatest challeng e is th e imp o veri s hm ent o f Jap
s e s o c i e t y Ac c o rd i n g t o Yua sa Ma koto, founder of an organization called Moyai [the mooring s], it is about time the structure of Japanese societ y was rethoug ht as it has not e vo lve d due to t went y years of unreso lve d crisis In a long inter view with the weekly paper Dokushojin, Yuasa Makoto worries about the lack of action on the part of the government, which does not appear to realize the g ravit y of the situation. And so it also seems appropriate to question whether the authorities will actually analyze and respond to the results of this annual sur vey on children and youth, in order to i ntro d u c e a d ro p o f o p ti m
pair that daily life represents for many.
GABRIEL BERNARD
FOCUS
A tower within a tower
Tokyo Tower was built during the years of strong economic growth in Japan. Now that the countr y is in crisis, it is looking for a new beacon of hope. It is called Tokyo Sky Tree.
HISTORY The end of a symbol
Built as a huge television aerial, the Tokyo Tower ended up representing far more.
On the fiftieth anniversar y of the completion of the Tokyo Tower, the company responsible for its management opened its website to comments, asking visitors to share memories relating to the building “My encounter with the Tokyo Tower was a life-marking event ” , one of them wrote. It may seem a little exaggerated but this account is representative of the thousands of messages that were published on the website The tower ’ s completion coincided with the countr y ’ s entr y into a new era Japan was just coming out of its post-war period and could finally look forward to a radiant future with the Tokyo Tower as its main landmark With a heig ht of 1092 feet, it emb o die d the ‘dreams and hop es ’ of a p e ople who, barely fifteen years previously, had been living in misery after years of war in Asia and in the Pacific.
The tower was built for the installation of television antennae, as there was now a growing market with an income hig h enoug h to afford television sets In the mid fifties the Japanese wished to possess ‘three sacred treasures ’ (sanshu no jingi): a fridge, a washing machine, and a tele vision The first channel to broadcast was NHK in Februar y of 1953 The publicly owned corp oration wa s so on joine d by Nipp on Tele vision in August of that same year, and became the first private television channel. One of its first programmes was a live broadcast of a baseball game between the Yomiuri Giants and their biggest rivals the Hanshin Tigers To get good reception it is essential to have a ver y tall building on which to insta ll the antennae At that time there were thre e towers in
Tokyo between 492 and 531 feet high, which belong e d to the ma in channels (N HK , Nippon T V and TBS) In order to avoid constructing more the authorities decided to build a tower dedicated solely to broadcasting It was partly built with steel recycled from the tanks that Japan produced for the American Army during the Korean War (1950-1953). When the huge tower was completed it dominated the Japanese capital city. It was the only building that could be seen from a great distance, and for millions it became the symbol of a ne w Japan a countr y self- confident enoug h to return to the forefront of the international scene without needing to go to war This mindset is a lso re vea le d in the movie Always – San chome no yuhi [Sunset on Third Street], released in 2005. Inspired by a manga with the same title, it describ es the lives of people living
in a modest area of Tokyo at the time when the tower is being built As the construction progresses you can feel the growing optimism of the population as it discovers the possibility that tomorrow may be a better day. The last scene unfolds with the sun setting over the capital city A family looks towards the huge tower far off in the city “It’s beautiful”, says the mother “ Yes it is”, says her husband. “And of course, it still will be tomorrow, the day after that, and for another fifty years ” , adds their son. Then the camera pans towards the city, enveloped in orang e lig ht, symbolizing a calm filled with promises for the future
Over the following decades Japan’s development accelerated The Tokyo Tower shone like a lucky star throug hout that period, and the poster for Tokyo Godfathers (2003), a movie by Kon Satoshi, illustrates this ver y well There is a child (who resembles Jesus) under the protective light of the tower. During all those years the Tokyo Tower app eare d to resonate to the
rhythm of the country and it seemed as though it would remain that way forever But the crisis that followed the burst of the financial bubble has chang ed that situation The tower, symbol of strong years of growth, lost much of its magnificence Writer Lily Franky g ives a g ood account of this chang e in his novel Tokyo tawa okan to boku, tokidoki, otan [ Tokyo Tower, mum and me, and sometimes dad], published in Japan in 2005
“Looking out from the top of Tokyo Tower, one notices something You can ’ t see it when you ’ re down in the city, but there are many graves in Tokyo. (…) This cit y is a cemetery of dreams, hopes, disappointment, sorrow ” It is now time to turn that page as with “the development of digital television, Tokyo Tower does not suit our needs
I NTERVIEW
Mita Masahiro : A pinch of nostalgia
What does the Tokyo Tower mean to you?
Mita Masahiro : The Tokyo Tower is situated in the heart of the capital When I got married and was able to afford a house, I moved out into the suburbs, far from the centre of the city
It was at least an hour’s train ride away But it was a place from which we could see the Tokyo Tower For those of us who lived in the suburbs, it became like a cult Now I live in Tokyo but I can’t see the Tokyo Tower because it is hidden by the buildings around my home It’s a shame
The Tokyo Tower is often said to be the symbol of post-war Japan. What was the meaning that the Japanese wanted to give it?
M M : The Tokyo Tower is not comparable to the Eiffel Tower. Nevertheless, it is the building that represents Tokyo It was built with steel left over from the
peace Later, the country’s economic success contributed to increasing the population’s affection for the tower
For a few years, there has been talk about growing nostalgia for the 50s-60s among some Japanese Yet that period wasn’t easy to cope with How would you explain that feeling?
M M : The democratization of Japanese society, and t h
gave the population material wealth But this accelerated growth is responsible for the weakening of community relations in the countryside, as well as for the disintegration of family values
When the Tower was built, the sense of community w
Family was still the mainstay of society Values and moral virtues that contributed to social stability were still dominant
That is how nostalgia relating to those good old days c a n b e
m y generation who actually experienced the post-war period
You are from Osaka There is a tower there too It is called Tsutenkaku. It is older than the Tokyo Tower (1956) and built by the same designer Yet it doesn’t seem to hold the same value for the Japanese What is your opinion on this?
M M : It’s simple, really The Tokyo Tower is the sym-
anymore ” , he adds The authorities must have been aware of this when they decided to build the Tokyo Sky Tree, a 2080 feet high tower, with the principal aim of broadcasting digital signals It is situated on the eastern side of the capital, and its recent inauguration has sidelined, forever, the importance of Tokyo Tower It now belongs to those glorious years so many Japanese are nostalgic ab out (those b orn b et we en 1950 and 1970). But a change of symbol was needed, as witnessed by the current craze for Tokyo Sky Tree.
on copyright law for the past few years
bol of Japan Osaka is just a big provincial city which owes its importance to trade It has its own culture of course, what with kabuki, bunraku (puppetry), or r a k u g o ( a c o m e d y m o n o l o g u e ) T h e Ts u t e n k a k u Tower was built to the south of the city, looking outwards. Not to mention that Osaka already has its own prestigious building, which happens to be a castle: tough competition for the Tsutenkaku.
Would Tokyo be Tokyo without its Tower?
M M : W h e n I w a s i n P a
floor of the Montparnasse Tower and the first thing I saw was the Eiffel Tower
I believe that visitors to the Tokyo Sky Tree look for the Tokyo Tower first. Tokyo continues to grow, what with the creation of artificial islands in Tokyo Bay and new districts such as Odaiba, Ariake and Toyosu. From all of these places you can see the Tokyo Tower, as w e l l a s R
It is ver y hard for me to imagine Tokyo without its red and white metal edifice
INTERVIEW BY
GABRIEL BERNARD
TOKYO TOWER
CONSTRUCTION : 1957-1958
HEIGHT : 333 metres (approximately 1092 feet)
LOCATION : Shiba koen, in Minato district
USE : Communications
COST : 6 billion yen [£44 1 million]
SITE : www tokyotower co jp
Writer Mita Masahiro was born in 1948 He teaches at Musashino University in Tokyo In 1977, he won the Akutagawa Prize, one of Japan’s most prestigious literary prizes, and has been working
ODAIRA NAMIHEI
Tokyo Godfathers by Kon Satoshi
FOCUS
CINEMA Fifty years as a film star
Film directors recognized the symbolic value of the Tokyo Tower and it was often used as a setting in their movies.
Film directors were rig ht. The y were quick to understand that the Tokyo Tower, symbol of the capital cit y as wel l a s the who le c ountr y, had grown to be as famous and important as a movie s ta r a n d s h o u l d b e ta ken a d va nta g e o f Ju s t a f e w months after it’s inaug uration, the new building was p ut to us e a s a s e tting f or Ta sogare no Tokyo Tawa [ Tokyo Tower at Dawn], a romantic comedy by Abe Tsuyoshi, the stor y of a young woman ’ s first love after having move d to the cit y to work as a milliner She arrang es to me et her lover on the tower ’ s obser vation platform, from where she looks out with fascination over a city full of promise for the future. The tower use d to c ommand the b est vie ws of the cit y until skyscrap ers g re w up around it over the years It is a common reference point in feature films and many directors also g ive it an important role in their movies. This is the case in quite a few special effects movies, wh ich To ho films ha s sp e cia l ize d in sinc e the 50s Honda Ishiro, famous for his special effects, puts the tower to use at ever y opportunit y. In 1961, he directed Mothra, in which a giant moth lar va destroy s p ar t o f th e c i t y a f ter vi l la ins ki d nap t wo l i ttle fairies
Of course, the Tokyo Tower pays the price for being in the way of the lar va , which turns into a g ig antic g e ometer moth that the army is incapable of cr ushing despite their many effor ts. Using the tower is n o t a na i ve c h o i c e In many o f Hon da’s m o vi e s in w h i c h d e s tr u c ti o n i s ke y, h e r e d u c e s h i g h l y s y mb olic lo cations to dust and a shes In his first disa ster movie, Godzilla (1954), the monster lays waste th e p a rl i a m ent b u i l d i n g . If th e To ky o Tow er ha d already existed back then, Godzilla would obviously have loved to pulverise it In 1973, novelist Komatsu S a ky o p u b l i s h e d Nihon Ch i nb o tsu [ Ja p a n S i nks] The same year, soon after it appeared in bookshops,
ROMANCE
TASOGARE NO TOKYO TAWA (TOKYO TOWER AT DAWN)
Abe Tsuyoshi (1959) with Niki Tazuko, Kobayashi Katsuhiko, Miake Bontaro
Just a year after being opened to the public, the Tokyo Tower is the main character in this romantic comedy, released on DVD
Moritani Shiro adapted it into a movie Tokyo is hit by a violent earthquake and its highest building , still Tokyo Tower at the time, is completely destroye d , l e a v
trophic disaster.
In a way, the routine obliteration of the Tokyo Tower in all these movies involving the inter vention of creatures and destr uctive natura l e vents stands for the price Japan has to pay for its rapid development after the war. To many, the tower ’ s construction was the first step in an epic saga that led to the countr y ’ s prominence in the worldwide economy. Attacking this symbol of success was a way remembering the frag ilit y of such a powerf ul position The e conomic crisis that Jap an ha s endure d sinc e the n ineties, af ter the financial bubble burst, has radically changed people’s outlook on the Tokyo Tower. With fewer e conomic a ssets, Japan lost much of its pre- eminence Since then, the tower has starte d to symbolize nostalgia . Always – San chome no yuhi [Sunset on Third
Stre et], a g reat success in 2005, follows the lives of se vera l families living in a mo dest area of the capital while construction work takes place on the tower in the background It is not being destroyed - on the contrar y, it is being built. The movie encourag es the b elief that the dynamism lost over the pa st t went y y e a r
that th e To ky o Tow er, once a beacon of Japanese g rowth, will a g ain stand as its symbolic centre-point
But e ver y b o dy knows that a p a g e ne e ds to b e turned That is what Matsuoka Joji sug g ests in his film, Tokyo tawa okan to boku to, tokid oki, oton [ To ky o Tower, Mom and Me and S ometimes Dad ], which h
The sig ht of the tower represents the outcome of a mother’s life, someone who has sacrificed ever ything for her son. When she dies, the tower remains standing , but it has lost its soul
In 1961, there is no escape for the Tokyo Tower in film director Honda Ishiro’s movie, Mothra
Tokyo Tower, a movie star
NOSTALGIA
ALWAYS SANCHOME NO YUHI (SUNSET ON THIRD STREET)
Yamazaki Takashi (2005) with Tsutsumi Shinichi, Horikita Maki, Yoshioka Hidetaka
With the construction of the tower in the background, this film tells the story of a small area in Tokyo as the country is going through great changes
MEMORY
TOKYO TAWA OKAN TO BOKU TO, TOKIDOKI, OTON (TOKYO TOWER, MOM AND ME, AND SOMETIMES DAD)
Matsuoka Joji (2007) with Odagiri Jo, Kiki Kirin
This is an accomplished adaptation of Lily Franky’s novel in which the tower is a symbol of the times
TRENDS Going East
The opening of the Tokyo Sky Tree on the eastern side of the Japanese capital marks the start of a new era .
Without doubt, Tokyo is exp eriencing a re volution Admitte dly it is a peacef ul one, but still a revolution, that will change the g eographical balance of the capital This revolution is related to a great extent to the construction of the Tokyo Sky Tre e, a hug e communications tower in the Oshiage area of Sumida district in the east of the city It’s been on everyone ’ s lips since construction started in July 2008 Some consider it a cultural revolution, b e cause for de cades Tokyo ha s a lways followe d the rhythm of those areas to west of the Imperial Palace, the heart of the city. Nishi Azabu, Roppongi, Minami Aoyama, Nakameguro, Ebisu, Shinjuku, Harajuku and
Shibuya were some of the most vibrant areas of Tokyo, where most post-war mass movements had their roots Examples include the violent student protest in Shinjuku of the late 60s, and the dozens of young people who g athered around Yoyog i Park ten years later to dance to the sound of ghetto blasters, or even the proliferation of fa shion shops in the luxurious area of Aoyama But it is precisely that luxury, combined with unaffordable property prices, that is driving an increasing numb er of p e ople away from these places that no longer fit in with Japan at the start of the 21st centur y
Luxury brands and free-flowing money, have given way to a new awareness of the limits to this post-war model for growth, of which the Tokyo Tower was the symbol For some years now, Japan has been looking for a way of being more environmentally-friendly and taking bet-
TOKYO SKY TREE
CONSTRUCTION : 2008-2012
HEIGHT : 634 metres
LOCATION : Oshiage, Sumida district
USE : Communications
COST : 50 billion yen [£280 million]
SITE : www tokyo-skytree jp
ter care of the population. By naming the tower ‘Tokyo Sky Tree’, the project’s promoters are making a strong symbolic point. The sky and the tree embody the current state of mind, and an increasing number of people spend time in that part of the city in order to soak in this sense of change and hope. Japan’s main newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, got the idea It opened an office on the first floor of the building while it was still unfinished, and it regularly publishes articles describing the atmosphere in that part of the city, as well as the changes it is going through.
An example of this cultural turn-around on the eastern side of the city can be seen in the Bakurocho area, which has been dominated by wholesale textile dealers for a very long time Over the past few months, Bakurocho has changed its appearance with the opening of galleries and places that attract creative people and those who want to be in direct contact with them. The One Drop Cafe (www one drop -cafe com) and Fukumori (http://fuku-mori jp), multi purpose locations that offer exhibitions, workshops, and food, are two of the most representative places of this movement North of Bakurocho is Okachimachi, a place where many young creative people gather, whose characteristic aim is to achieve simplicit y Syuro (www syuro info) and Woodwork (www woodwork co jp) create objects that are reminders of past crafts
In a way it is the Shitamachi’s (meaning ‘lower city’) return match This name was given to the old part of Edo at the bottom of the castle that had lost its popularit y to the areas in the west By moving eastwards, Tokyo’s population and especially the young , are turning their backs on the past fifty years of Japan’s histor y in an attempt to find a new impetus in the traditional values of these areas that are at some distance from p olitica l and e conomic p ower The re viva l of rakugo (a style of comedy monolog ue that goes back to the 17th centur y) is interesting from that point of vie w Nishizawa Ry ue, the founding archite ct of SANAA with Sejima Kazuyo, explained why he decided to move their office to Tatsumi, a quarter in the south east of the capital The absence of rakugo shows in Shibuya and Ebisu, and the fact they are more frequent on the eastern side, partly explain his decision
It may seem merely anecdotal, but it perfectly illustrates well the state of mind of this young (20-40 years old) generation, and their search for new points of reference There is no doubt that they will find a ver y powerful one in the Tokyo Sky Tree, towering as it does to a height of 634 metres.
Tokyo Sky Tree, May 2012
FOCUS
Tokyo Sky Tree – Information
’Tembo Galleria’ - floors 445 to 450
Second view point
Shuttle
Two lifts take you to the highest panoramic platform in 30 seconds
’Tembo Deck’ - floors 340 to 350
First viewing platform Tickets to go to the highest viewing platform can be bought on the 350th floor
Shuttle
Four lifts take you to the panoramic platform in 50 seconds
Fourth floor – Exit
The shuttle stops at this level
The Skytree Shop is also on this floor
Third Floor – Entrance
The ticket booth and information centre for individual visitors is on this floor
Ground Floor – Group Entrance
Groups must use this entrance. There is a special ticket booth for them on this floor.
Room to welcome up to 900 people
m 350 m
Room to welcome up to 2000 people
Souvenirs
Like any tourist attraction, Tokyo Sky Tree has a shop (4th floor) that sells all kinds of gifts From bottles of water in the shape of the tower (400 yen), Sorakara dolls (2415 yen for the small one), to mugs (1200 yen) or cakes by the famous German baker, Karl Juccheim (1050 yen), you will find plenty of gifts
Tokyo Solamachi
The huge shopping centre at the base of the tower. It is full of hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafés At Azumacho Cafe, you can taste the famous Tokyo Cider (250 yen) in a souvenir bottle
Tokyo Sky Tree - Prices, times, contact details
Open everyday from 8 am to 10 pm
Tembo Galleria : 2000 yen (1500 yen for 12-17 year olds, 900 yen for 6-11 year olds, 600 yen for 4-5 year olds).
Tembo Deck : 1000 yen (800 yen, 500 yen, 300 yen) N B Reservations only until the 10th of July 2012 www tokyo-skytree jp/en - Phone : 0570 - 55 - 0634
CULTURE
DVD Laughter for the benefit of all
People often say that the Japanese do not enjoy laughter and that they are always serious. However, just like in any society, laughter often arises in everyday life. People may laugh at different things in Japan to those we do in the West, but it is laughter nevertheless. The Japanese cinema is no exception and contrary to popular belief, Japanese film production is not limited to genre movies (yakuza, samurai) or to the independent movies shown in most festivals. Comedies do exist, although they may seem a little complicated to us Western viewers. However that is no reason to ignore them. Third Window takes risks by producing movies such as Crime or Punishment?!? by Keralino Sandorovich The plot is a somewhat complicated, but you will easily get used to the absurdity and the numerous sequences that leading the characters into hilarious situations. Namuri Riko makes a great portrayal of a failed model, Enjoji Ayama, who becomes a police officer for a day. The movie is a little jewel and will give as much pleasure as any of Kurosawa’s films, but with laughter thrown in Gabriel Bernard
MUSIC A Masterpiece?
Elephant Kashimashi has been in existence for 30 years and is now part of Japanese rock history. So much so that it is hard to imagine that they could produce anything other than good music Rest assured that this new album Masterpiece is top quality. When first listening to it, you sense the band wanted to demonstrate that and when lost any of their verve or strength over the years
The lead singer Miyamoto Hiroji’s voice alone is proof that this is certainly not the case
T HIS MONTH’S EVENT
EXHIBITION Yoko Ono exposed
Nobody has ever felt indifferent to her Yoko Ono, once John Lennon’s muse, is also an artist in her own right It’s easy to say that she’s not quite like other artists, but you have to admit she is unclassifiable. With a major impact on the contemporary art scene, Yoko Ono has never stuck to one artistic form, but has created a conceptual and artistic universe instead, taking many directions expressed in numerous ways This is demonstrated in To The Light, the current exhibition of her work at the Serpentine Gallery
Not exactly a retrospective, this event reveals Yoko’s influence on the contemporary art scene The exhibition is centred around new and old installations, films and performances, as well as archive documents that serve to place her artistic approach in context. A certain number of pieces on show in this exhibit i o n , To The Light
LITERATURE The Future is Japanese
Crime or Punishment?!?, Third Window, £10 99
Bringing the work of thirteen Japanese and Western authors of science fiction together was a the daring enterprise Viz Media undertook with it’s recent publication The Future is Japanese. In a country as technophile as Japan, this kind of book does not come as a surprise. However, it is the first time that one of these Japanese books has been published in English. It includes original stories including one about an internet navigation programme on a quest to conquer the world, and another about North Korean bomb that hits Tokyo. A relevant collection and a good read. The Future is Japanese, Viz Media, £ 9 9
include the viewer in her work and invite him in as an actor As they explain at the gallery, which is presenting the exhibition that will run from the 19th June to the 9th September: “For example, a series of instruction pieces written especially for the Serpentine Gallery can be completed physically or mentally by the viewer, while the large-scale installation, AMAZE, transforms the viewer from the observer to the observed”, they explain at the galler y which is presenting the exhibition that will run from the 19th June to 9th September It also includes #smilesfilm, a participative project on a worldwide scale involving interactivity and participation by internet users Conceived as a way of connecting people around the world, this project encourages people to send pictures of their smiles in order to create a chain of smiles to surround the world
These creations give you a sense of the artists’ desire to make contact with the public by giving the viewer the possibility of taking part Yoko Ono’s revolutionary soul is still alive Go and see for yourself!
ODAIRA NAMIHEI
Yoko Ono – TO THE LIGHT, 19th June – 9th September 2012 – Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA – www serpentinegallery org
Elephant Kashimashi, Masterpiece, UMCK-9486
BOOKS Eight voices to remember
Journalist Elin Lindqvist publishes a wonderful book in which she puts the tragic events of 11th May 2011 into perspective.
Born in Japan in 1982, Elin Lindqvist evidently rema ins ver y conne cte d to the countr y although she now lives in England. After the earthquake and the tsunami, that were not only disastrous for the north east of Japan, but also led the countr y into its most serious nuclear crisis ever, the journalist traveled to the area in order to cover the events for Swedish newspapers. This new experience resulted of in a wonderful book called Fukushima Colours In it she raises the principal questions that concern the Japanese today with sensibility but without ever resorting to caricature By giving a voice to those who experienced the disaster, she rightly reminds us that these events should not be forgotten Elin Lindqvist answered our questions about her book
Can you explain your relationship with Japan? Elin Lindqvist : I was born in Japan and, althoug h I only lived there for two years as a child, I have maintained a ver y strong relationship with the countr y I move d there on my own as a se vente en year old to study for a year and then again in my twenties for another year of studies while also working as an English teacher Later on, I traveled back and forth, on both long and short journeys, and all the while I maintaine d strong ties with friends and Japanese p e ople I consider to be family That is why, when the earthquake occurred last year, and I saw the terrifying images unfolding on my T V screen in England, I knew that I had to go there.
REFERENCE
FUKUSHIMA COLOURS, by Elin Lindqvist, Bokförlaget Langenskiöld editions, £18
W hat was your ma in motivation in writing this book?
E L : I felt that the way Western me dia rep or te d the nuclear crisis and the direct aftermath of the tsunami was shallow, dramatic and sensationalist. So I called up Sweden's larg est newspaper, the Aftonbladet, on which I had worke d pre viously, and a ske d them if they needed a reporter This was just a few days af ter the tsunam i had o ccurre d and it wa s at the heig ht of the nuclear cata strophe. The Aftonbl adet and a lot of other Western me dia channels w er e
th
potential danger We agreed that I should go I wante d to rep or t a b o ut on th e cri s i s in an o th er kin d of way. I wanted to talk to people and really tr y to understand how people in Japan perceived the situation . Once I had travele d to the de va state d area s, I understood and felt ver y strong ly that I could not leave it at that I could not just g o home and move on while people in Japan were g oing to have to deal with the consequences of this triple catastrophe for years to come. In May 2011, I was able to return and write again for Swedish newspapers, taking the ‘hundred days after the catastrophe’ as my theme That was when I decided that this had to become a book .
How did you pick the people for the book ? And in your opinion, which stor y is the most powerful?
E . L. : S ome of the p e ople that I inter vie we d for the book are pe ople I have known for many years Others I met in the middle of the crisis for the first ti m e a n d b o n d e d w i th th em . A l l have b e c o m e important to me But if I had to choose just one person ’ s destiny or testimonia l, I think it would have to be Endo Minoru from Tomioka, one of the towns with in the 20 km safet y zone around Fukushima Daiichi. I adm ire h is streng th and h is determ ination not to g ive up
How do you see the f uture of Tohoku area and Japan?
E. L. : I think that the rest of the world will learn from what happened in Tohoku in general and in Fukushima in particular The truth is that nobody really knows for sure what effects the radioactive spills will have on Fukushima prefecture, its inhabitants and the Sea of Japan. What Japan decides to do relating to its energ y policies and nuclear energ y is going to be ver y interesting and potentially groundbreaking for the whole world's energ y industries. Similarly, the coastal communities of northeastern Japan have yet to decide how to rebuild and how to prote ct p e ople, in the future, from potentially even hig her tsunamis, and I think that is a ke y de velopment a s well At the moment, 344,000 people live in temporar y housing all along Tohoku's coast 80,000 people have been evacuated from the safety zone around Fukushima Daiichi It will take a long time before it becomes clear what lies in store for them. For the rest of the world and even for most people in Japan, life goes on But not for these p e ople It is imp or tant to rememb er and to listen to them.
Inter view
by
ODAIRA NAMIHEI
EVENT Miyazaki at the BFI Southbank
On June 8th at 6 pm, during a weekend dedicated to anime, the BFI Southbank will be presenting Miyazaki’s long awaited From Up on Poppy Hill. The director reveals the secrets of how it was made.
There were five years between the making of Takes from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. Why have you waited so long before making your second feature film?
Miyazaki Goro: Five years. That is a long time [ he laughs] I hesitated a lot before deciding to direct another feature film. After Takes from Earthsea, I went back to work at the Ghibli museum and hid away there
What were you hiding from?
M. G.: I was hiding from my producer Suzuki Toshio If I had been in the studio, he would have pestered me about starting a second movie And, as a director, I think it is harder to make a second movie than to direct one the first time round. A second feature film confirms your desire for a career as a director It implies continuing to make movies and, above all, having your work judged more severely All of this adde d to my hesitation I wa s rea lly scare d of the moment I would be asked to direct a second film.
How did From Up on Poppy Hill come together ?
INFORMATION
From 8th to 10th June, the BFI Southbank will be dedicated to anime. As well as From Up on the Poppy Hill, Full Metal Alchemist 2 (2011), with special guests director Murata Kazuya and producer Minami Masahiko for Q&A, and The Princess and the Pilot (2011), will have their UK premieres. Gintama: the Movie (2010) and Shinkai Makoto’s latest film Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below (2011) are also part of the program Don’t miss this! www bfi org uk/southbank
M. G.: After Ponyo was released (2008), my father, Miyazaki Hayao, de cide d that the Ghibli studios would produce another two films by young directors over a three year period First came The Secret World of Arrietty (2010), then From Up on Poppy Hill.
What was your reaction when your father submitted the project to you?
M. G.: I already knew the mang a from which the movie is adapted. I read it as a child. So when I was told about this project, I remembered reading it and how I had wanted to make something from it. My father had been interested in this story for a long time It was quite moving , because I could remember the discussions he used to have with friends about it thirty years ago, on how a shojo (a manga for young girls) could or couldn’t be adapted into a movie. So I was honored when I found out he had decided to entrust me with a project so dear to him.
You were born in 1967 and the stor y takes place in 1963, at a time before you were born. How did you prepare for that ? Did your f ather help you
with the setting ?
M. G.: My father gave me ideas on how to make that period look as realistic as possible He pointed me in the rig ht direction For example, he reminded me that there were still many pine trees back then, not all the roads were covered in tarmac, and the boundar y between the street and what lay beyond wasn ’ t as well defined as it is today with pavements everywhere He also g ave me advice on food and interior desig n . But I didn’t want to end up with an oldfashioned or sepia-coloured impression of that time, even if it is set fifty years ago. And, as, my father told me, a stor y set in the past also relates to current day e vents And the present day is a lways b eautif ul I believe that not sticking to the past is what gives this movie its charm and makes it interesting
Does this film express the current Japanese nostalgia for the sixties ?
M G : No, because my idea wasn ’ t to make a nostalg ic movie The movie isn’t meant to idea lize that period, because I have very little sympathy for the sixties’ generation
War is ever-present in your movie
M. G.: I believe that 1963, when the movie is set, is an imp or tant transition p erio d b et we en t wo moments in Japan’s Histor y Before 1963, it was the p ost-war p erio d , during wh ich Jap an wa s b eing rebuilt After 1963, is when the countr y started to experience strong economic growth From that time onwards, everything revolved around money in Japanese everyday life That is why I chose to set the story in 1963. I didn’t want to tell a stor y relating to corr uption It is a lso no surprise that the war is par t of the stor y ’ s backg round as it was still ver y common in ever yday conversation. Japanese were war victims, and it had obvious consequences on teenagers ’ lives. Inevitably.
Concerning the characters, in Umi’s case, I was wondering if you had been inspired by female movie stars in the 50s and 60s, such as Yoshinaga Sayuri. M. G.: Yes indeed. I watched many movies dating
Although Miyazaki Goro disagrees, his latest movie does belong to the wave of movies depicting, some better than others, the Archipelago in the sixties For just under a decade the Japanese have been enjoying movies that remind them of the period after the war, when Japan was being rebuilt Always, san chôme no yûhi [Always, Sunset on Third Street] is the third movie dealing with this theme. It is set in 1964 during Tokyo’s Olympic Games, and will be re-
back to that period, particularly those by Nikkatsu, who was specialized in youth movies (seishun eiga) In a way, I wante d to re create the charm of those movies in From Up on the Poppy Hill That is probably why Umi reminds you of Yoshinaga Sayuri.
On the other hand though, the other lead character, Shun, seems less inspired by one of these seishun eiga. M. G.: Yes, maybe because Shun is closer to me (he laughs). Boys of that age are often uneasy with girls, and in society more generally Although passionate, they find it difficult to express passions I believe that is what Shun is like.
Is that what you are like ?
M G : Maybe [he laughs] When my father saw the movie for the first time, he told me he hadn’t imagine d Shun to b e a s clums y a s that. And he adde d : “ That’s the spitting image of Goro!”
Inter view by GABRIEL
BERNARD
From Up on Poppy Hill : all-round optimism
leased in 2012 in Japan. Through the use of slogans and posters, the Olympic Games also play a large part in Miyazaki’s movie depicting a period of hopes and dreams - both seemingly lacking in Japan at the start of the Twenty-first century The movie encourages the hope that love may blossom between Umi and Shun, even if their story does start in a complicated way It also depicts the dream of high school students that they might save their common room, which is
in a bad state of repair and due to be demolished The movie inspires hope for better days in a country where people are willing to work hard This young director generates a positive feeling, encouraging the viewer to see the world more optimistically Since 11th March 2011, this has never been more important, as many Japanese now compare this natural disaster to defeat in 1945. After the war, cinema played an important role in creating and maintaining op-
timism throughout the country. A famous example is Aoi sanmyaku [The Green Mountains, 1949] by Imai Tadashi, in which the soundtrack quotes “Goodbye old jacket, goodbye sad dreams, we now turn towards pink clouds and green mountains” In his own way, Miyazaki Goro renews the feel-good movie genre, and gives viewers’ a morale boost whatever their age There is a dream for everyone in this movie Thank you Goro-san G B
EATING & DRINKING
How to make per fect nigiri
Creating rice balls for nigiri-zushi and onigiri, can be a bit of a bore. And unless you're a trained sushi chef it often ends with a plate of misshapen sticky lumps unlikely to appear on the conveyor belt of any half-decent kaiten-zushi.
But you can make things easy for yourselfby getting a nigiri-zushi and o-nigiri making set. These are simple plastic moulds which you spoon cooked Japanese rice into, press together and pull apart to leave perfectly shaped nigiri. It is important to splash the mould with a little water first, or the rice will stick, but otherwise you can't go wrong.
Any number of Japanese cookery books will have suggestions for toppings or fillings. Nigiri-zushi is usually completed with raw tuna, shrimp or grilled egg. Onigiri can be filled with pickled plum, salmon, or katsuobushi.
Also available are moulds for oshi-zushi, which are square shaped, with the toppings placed on the rice before pressing the mould together.
To make things even simpler, you can buy various ready-made o-nigiri mixtures that can be stirred into the rice. Wrap the nigiri in sheets of nori and you have a healthy, easy alternative to sandwiches to put in your lunch box.
Nigiri sushi mould ￡2 99, Oshi sushi mould ￡5.50, Onigiri mould ￡3.25 (May 2012) Doki Limited www dokiltd co uk
RESTAURANT Celebrate the finest steak in the world at Matsuri
Wag yu - The Holy Grail for any lover of red meat seeking the ultimate steak .
Prized as possibly the most tender, succulent beef available on the planet, Wag yu is produced from four main breeds of cattle, developed in Imperial Japan to yield meat of the highest quality
One of the few places in London to serve the best examples of this luxury beef is Matsuri, a well established Teppan-yaki restaurant at the heart of St James’s. Teppan-yaki meals are cooked on a hot plate right before
your eyes, so you can be assured of their freshness, and also get to mar vel at the chef ’ s skill
Our chef Sudo-san obliged even further by allowing us to meet our starter, a lobster, still alive, and brought out from the kitchen to say hello (an extreme example of eating only the freshest produce that might make some diners a little squeamish)
The lobster is quickly dispatched, returned neatly cut into pieces, and grilled, its twitching limbs perhaps not death throes, but most likely caused by the heat and bubbling fat
With graceful, efficient movements Sudo-san cooks the lobster to perfection using only oil and white wine to flavour It’s presented simply with asparag us stalks and
shiitake mushrooms, and a bowl of ponzu sauce for dipping
Then the main event is presented, a 300g slab of sirloin Wag yu, with its distinctive marbled fat, pink and much less bloody than a reg ular steak.
Wa g y u, we are told , is g rade d in qua lit y from 1-10
At Matsuri only grades 7 or 8 are used (9 being virtually impossible to get hold of, and 10 non-existent). They import theirs from Australia, where the age-old Japanese breeds and rearing techniques are used.
Sudo-san cooks our steak medium rare (highly recommended, though the choice is yours), simply seasoned and diced, ser ved with vegetables, and a choice of dipping sauces, spicy or creamed wasabi (again, optional, but it’s recommended to tr y the meat on its own).
So, how does it taste? What hits you immediately is the intense flavour, and that succulent, juicy texture produced by the unsaturated marbled fat. It really does seem to melt in your mouth
Of course, this all comes at a price, a 200g Wag yu steak can cost around £100, but if your budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, Scottish sirloin comes in at £28, or choose from Matsuri’s extensive menu including sushi and tempura dishes
A ne w sa ke bar is a lso set to op en on July 1st at the restaurant, which this summer will be catering for Japan’s Olympic committee, staying on nearby Park Lane Wag yu making an appearance on the VIPs’ menu, no doubt.
Japan’s former cultural and intellectual centre, in the north east of the countr y, makes a beautiful stop off the beaten track.
Iwate ’ s main city was hit by last year ’ s earthquake and tsunami The effects of the disaster are still very obvious along the Pacific coast, but many inland areas were spared from nature ’ s rag e. A case in point is Hiraizumi, which was recently registered as a World Heritag e Site by Unesco This news was greeted by a wave of enthusiasm at a time when the local population needed a morale boost Hiraizumi had suffered indire ctly from the disaster be cause many tourists de cided to avoid that part of the countr y due to the after-
shock and the situation at Fukushima’s nuclear power station, althoug h both occurred far away So people in Hiraizumi warmly welcomed Unesco’s recognition of their city, which was originally created to represent ‘heaven on earth’ and is entirely dedicated to Buddhist principles Brought into being by the Fujiwara clan after leaving Kyoto, principally by Kiyohira who had made a fortune from gold, the city increased in importance during the 12th centur y when many temples and gardens were built Most of these were destroyed in attacks by Shog un Yoritomo’s army But the monuments that are still standing easily allow you to imagine how wealthy the city used to be, and they are well worth a visit. Hiraizumi is easily accessible with ease by train, and
requires a stay of at least a day, if not two, in order to discover all its secrets and charms The Fujiwara clan made strenuous efforts to succeed in building an intellectual and cultural centre as prestigious as Kyoto The most significant vestiges of this past splendour are located in the north and the south of the city It is recommended that a traveller with little time go to Chusonji, which is accessible by RunRun bus (4 minutes) or on foot (20 minutes) The walk is very attractive, especially in spring or autumn, when nature displays its beautiful colours Chuson-ji includes a park full of temples and is located in the forest You enter it via Tsukimizaka, a path bordered with Japanese cypresses that were planted over 400 years ago Depending on the season, many
In Chuson-ji, a roof amongst the trees
Japanese take the time to admire the beaut y of these trees, their leaves changing to wonderful colours in October and November, or covered in white under layers of snow in winter. The walk is very pleasant, and is a reminder of the important role nature plays in Japanese culture. In Chuson-ji it is even more obvious that its builders set out to create a represention of heaven on earth In 850, Ennon, a monk , starte d building temples in Chuson-ji, but it was only under the influence of Fujiwara Kiyohira that the park became an important religious centre with the construction of over 40 temples. Only the beautiful Konjiki-do (Gold Hall ) remains Complete d in 1124, it is covere d with g old leaf and mother-of-pearl from Okinawa . There are 33 statues inside the sanctuar y, of which the principal and most important represents Amida Nyorai Buddha. Four members of the Fujiwara clan lie under it This amazing building , registered by the authorities as a national treasure, inspired Basho the poet, father of haiku, who visited Chuson-ji during his Northern trek in 1689 In his travel journa l Oku No Hosomichi (Back R oads to Far Towns), he described the amazement he felt when he saw the Konjiki-do or Hikari-do (Light Hall) :
Samidare no Furi nokoshite ya Hikari-do
The May rains Falling, seem to spare The Light Hall
A statue of the poet has been placed nearby, as a reminder of his travels in the area The G old Ha ll and its amazing Amida Nyorai Buddha benefit from being under the secure g aze of one of Japan’s most famous wri ter s L o ver s o f Ha i ku o f ten stop at Ba s h o ’ s statue to pay tribute to him before continuing to walk along the site’s many paths They then meet up at the Ky u o i - d o , th e a n c i ent w o o d en b u i l d i n g that p rote cte d the Konjiki- do from wind and snow. However la c king in o stentati on th i s f o ur te enth- c entur y
Koromo River
M o r i o k a
C h u s o n - j i
Te m p l e d e C h û s o n Temple de Chûson
P o s t O f fi c e
C e n t r e d u p a t r i m o i n e Centre du patrimoine
c u l t u r e l d e H i r a i z u m i culturel de Hiraizumi
H i r a i z u m i C u l t u r a l H e r i t a g e C e n t e r M o t s u - j i
Te m p l e Temple d e M ô t s û de Môtsû
n - d ô Bishamon-dô L ig n e p r innc c ip p a le e J R T Tôôho o k ku
Ta k a d a c h i akadachi G i k e i - d ô Gikei-dô
H i r a i z u m i To u r i s m A s s o c i a t i o n o
H I R A I Z U M I
O f fi c e d u Office du t o u r i s m e tourisme
r s ers I c h i n o s e k i Ichinoseki
G a r e d e Gare de H i r a i z u m i Hiraizumi Ve r s ers Ta k k o k u - n o - i w a y a Takkoku-no-iwaya B i s h
H i r a i z u m i S t a t i o n
TRAVEL
building may look , it is worth se eing if only for the ingenuity of its architecture, or to experience walking in the footsteps of the great poet who was here three c enturies a g o. Approximately 100 metres away is a noh theatre stag e which was rebuilt in 1853 It is the on l y on e o f i ts kin d in th e n or th e a st o f th e arc h ipelag o Plays are performed here from time to time, but the stag e is mainly used during the Fujiwara Festival (Fujiwara Matsuri) that takes place e ver y year in May and November The May celebration in 2011 wa s can c e l l e d a s a c ons e qu en c e o f th e e ar th qua ke . It is one of Hira izum i’s g reat attractions a s it ta kes place in May, during ‘ g olden week’ when most Japanese take a few days off from work . You can end your stay in Chuson-ji by visiting Hondo, the main building at the centre of the park . It was rebuilt in 1909 a n d i s th e l a r g e st c o nstr u c ti o n o n th e s i te However, you may prefer to g o to the Shohuan teahouse to taste delicious g reen tea and Japanese pastries while contemplating the g ardens
When the time comes to leave, other discoveries await if you are not in a hurr y to g et back on the train The b us r uns by th e stati on , b ut i t can a l s o ta ke y o u to Motsu-ji, south of the city. Built in 850 by Jika Kidaishi, and with thanks to investments from the Fujiwara s ’ , th i s m ona ster y wa s l ong c ons i d ere d to b e on e of the most beautiful in the archipelag o before a fire destroye d it in 1226 Its hug e g arden, which represents the heaven on earth of the Pure Land Buddha , is ma g nificent It surrounds the Great Spring Pond (Oizumigaike), the only relic dating back to the Heian era and one of the rarest in the countr y When walking throug h the g arden you can see traces of where buildings previously stood, but above all you can enjoy nature once ag ain In June, when the flowers bloom, the Iris celebration (Ayame matsuri) should not b e missed Claude Monet, a lover of these flowers, would certainly have enjoyed painting this symphony in blue It is a good place for meditation and poetry, and doubtless that is why a gigantic stone has been placed there on which a famous haiku by Matsuo Basho has been car ved :
Natsukusa ya Tsuwamono domo ga Yume no ato
The summer grasses –Of the brave soldiers’ dreams The aftermath.
The poet walked up onto Takadachi hill, where Minamoto no Yoshitsune, one of Japan’s great heroes, met a tragic end He fought as a warrior at the side of Minamoto no Yoritomo, a powerful lord who created the s h o g unat e , b ut th e y s o o n b e c a m e th e w o r s t o f enemies. Despite the presence of his ser vant, Benkei, and unable to escap e, he wou ld stil l have ende d up committing suicide There is a memoria l (Takadach i Gike i- d o) to h i s na m e o n th e p e a k f ro m wh ere there is the most beautiful view of Hiraizumi and its surroundings. When Yoshitsune died, Yoritomo decided to raze Hiraizumi to the ground and destroy what the Fujiwaras had built But for many, Yoshitsune did not die in Hiraizumi. The y belie ve he fle d to Mongolia with Benkei, where he changed his name to Geng is Khan, and m isle d h is riva l by leaving t wo lo o kalikes behind to die in their places The locals carefully keep this leg end alive, which also contributes to the charm of this town that is so proud of its past g lor y. Imagine going back in time In this part of Japan where nature has been well preser ved, it is easy to forget that we ’ re in the 21st centur y On a fog g y day, whether in Chuson-ji, Motsu-ji or Ta kadach i Gikei- do, if you close your eyes and concentrate, you mig ht just hear the voices of warriors and Buddhist monks, or e ven o f th e p o e t B a s h o , ri s ing up a n d tha n king y o u f o r sp end ing time in their c omp any The who le of the reg ion, as well as Hiraizumi, ne e ds tourists who are not afraid to take a step back in time, in order to return from their travels f ull of satisfaction and the secrets they have discovered.
GABRIEL BERNARD
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
HOW TO GET THERE From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen (Hayate or Yamabiko) to Ichinoseki There are two trains every hour Then take the main JR Tohoku line to Hiraizumi (8 minutes). From there, you can walk or catch the RunRun bus (300 yen for a day ticket). For more information, go to the information centre’s website: www hiraizumi or jp/en
A statue of Matsuo Basho by Konjiki-do
LANGUAGE Greetings from onomatopoeia
To evoke a sound, a place, a person, an action or to express a feeling , a mood… All you need is a few syllables.
Nearly any mang a suffices to prove how usef ul onomatopoeia is in Japanese when describing a sound, an action, an atmosphere, a feeling or a mood But these little words are not limited to graphic novels, in Japan they are used frequently to describe the details of ever yday life Conversations are full of them and you can even buy dictionaries of onomatopoeia . Short and ver y sug g estive, Japanese onomatopoeic words are also ver y easy to use When used on their own they are ver y effective but they can also be added to long sentences or along side nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs
To express how shiny and sparkly the interior of the airport looks to Pipo when he has just woken up, you could say :
感心 ���� しました。
Tochaku shita kuko no naka wa dokomo pika pika de, kanshin shimashita
On my arrival, all I could do was admire was how shiny and sparkly everything looked inside
Another common use consists of putting a verb after the onomatopoeic word, to form a verbal expression The verb “ to do” (suru/する) is most often used for th is Pip o ’ s emotions b efore pronouncing the sentence he has so thoroug hly rehearse d (se e pre vious episode) could g ive rise to the expression :
日本 ��� の人 �� とはじめて対面 ���� する時 �� には ドキドキするものです。
Nihon no h ito to ha ji mete ta i me n sur u toki ni ha dokidoki suru mono desu
O n m e
one’s heart starts to flutter
Th e ver b a l e xpre ss i on i s s om e tim e s b u i lt up wi th other verbs, and the onomatopoeia then reinforces their meaning :
