The flavor and essence of Japanese Cuisine

"Japanese Archipelago" encircled by the sea which has abundance of food resources

Motivation of Foreigners to Visit Japan
According to a survey conducted by the Japan National Tourism Organization in 2009, 58.5 % of those surveyed cited "Japanese Cuisine" as the reason to visit Japan.

*This is the first time Japanese Cuisine has been cited as the number one reason to visit Japan since the survey started in 1984.
*The particular dishes that satisfy foreigners include Sushi (42.1%),Ramen (20.8%) and Sashimi (19.8%).

Applying for Japanese Cuisine to be Listed as World Cultural Heritage
9 characteristics of Japanese Cuisine reported by the Japanese Government to UNESCO in March, 2012:

1. It conforms to the spirit of "respect for nature"
2. Ingenuity has been developed to bring out the inherent flavor of the ingredients.
3. Fermentation techniques have been developed which suit the climate of Japan such as Miso, Shoyu or Sake.
4. The diet is well balanced, consisting of rice, miso soup, fish and vegetables.
5. Not a lot of animal fat is used.
6. The expression method has been developed to elegantly decorate dishes with flowers and leaves.
   --"Leaves Business" started by the elderly people in Tokushima is well established (Leaves are essential for food decoration purposes).
7. Seasonal tableware is used and rooms are furnished in order to emphasize the sense of the seasons.
8. It is closely connected to annual events such as the Japanese New Year and rice-planting.
9. The bond between family members and regional communities are strengthened by dining together.

*We will find out whether the application is accepted or not in November, 2013 at the earliest.
The taste has shifted from "Sukiyaki and Tempura" in the post-war period to "Sushi, Ramen and Sashimi".

Sukiyaki

Tempura

Sushi

Ramen

Sashimi

Food Culture as Intangible Cultural Heritage (Overseas)

1. French Gastronomy
In France, gastronomy is considered to be a social custom to celebrate the most important events in life such as child-birth, marriage and birthdays.
It does not focus on specific dishes but on how to enjoy food more.

2. Mediterranean Cuisine
A healthy and well-balanced diet, consisting of seafood, wheat and barley, dairy products and vegetables produced in Spain, Greece, Italy and Morocco. It also utilizes olive oil.

3. Tradition of Keskek in Turkey
Social customs related to keskek (wheat stew) in ceremonies such as weddings or rituals such as rain-making rituals.

4. Mexican Traditional Cuisine
Social customs related to traditional Mexican food in rituals or ceremonies.

Overseas Japanese Restaurants
*Survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization in 2010
USA... 14, 129 restaurants(The number of restaurants has doubled in10 years)
France... About 1,000 restaurants
UK... About 500 restaurants

※If Japanese cuisine is listed as World Heritage, it is expected that confidence in Japan will be restored, resulting in positive effects for various areas such as tourism promotion as well as globalization of food engineering and agriculture. 　

Michelin Guide 2010

	3-star restaurant	2-star restaurant	1-star restaurant
Tokyo	11 (of which 8 are Japanese restaurants)	42 (of which 30 are Japanese restaurants )	144 (of which 94 are Japanese restaurants)
Kyoto/Osaka	7 (all of them are Japanese restaurants)	25	118
Paris	10	14	53

※Considering the total number of stars, it is easy to understand that there are lots of exclusive restaurants. The number of Michelin star restaurants exceeds that of Paris, which is considered to be one of the top food capitals of the world.

Interview with Jean-Luc Naret, the Sixth Director of Michelin Guide on his Visit to Japan

"Although people call Paris the food capital of the world, I was surprised by the sheer number of excellent restaurants in Tokyo. This is because Japanese people enjoy food. The quality of food and skills of the chefs are high. Paris also has Japanese restaurants but they aren't as specialized and subdivided as those in Tokyo. For example, the same restaurant serves Sushi and Yakitori.
　Most of the Japanese restaurants I visited achieved the level of specialization no one else can imitate. Naturally, I gave those restaurants high ratings. Also, Western dishes served in Japan are so well made that people sometimes say they taste even better than those made in Western countries. "

Natural Ingredients Produced by Japanese Geographical Features

--Japan has the sixth longest coastline in the world. Furthermore, Japan is a very long country from north to south, resulting in a wide variety of dishes from salted hokke in Hokkaido to goya chanpuru in Okinawa. Japanese food culture is characterized by an abundance of ingredients and the cooking methods that suit them.
--These rich Japanese waters are visited by a wide variety of seasonal migratory fish every year, providing fresh ingredients. Japanese people also enjoy an abundance of ingredients season by season.
--The world's top three fishing spots include
1. Japan's Sanrikuoki (off the coast of Sanriku)
2. Off the coast of Norway
3. Off the coast of Newfoundland

*Top 10 countries with the longest coastline (Refererence : Wikipedia)

No.1 Canada	No.6 Japan
No.2 Norway	No.7 Australia
No.3 Indonesia	No.8 USA
No.4 Russia	No.9 New Zealand
No.5 The Philippines	No.10 Greece

Blessing of Dashi Soup Stock (Revolution of Taste)

The invention of earthenware in the Jomon period made it possible to mix and stew ingredients. They made rich Dashi soup stock by filling earthenware with water, putting seaweed salt in it and stewing with fish, shellfish, chicken, wild boar, deer and mountain vegetables. This is called the revolution of taste. It is said that Japanese cuisine originated in the Jomon period. In the late Edo period, specialties were ranked. According to "Shokoku Sanbutsu Mitate Sumou Rankings" (the highest ranking is Ozeki), the Eastern Ozeki was Konbu Seaweed in Matsumae(currently called Hokkaido) and the Western Ozeki was Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito) in Tosa (currently called Kochi). This means that the culture of Dashi soup stock had spread all around the country.

Examples of Dashi Ingredients and Cooking Methods
(umami flavor component)

Katsuobushi ( inosinic acid )

Konbu Seaweed ( glutamic acid )

Shiitake Mushroom ( guanylic acid )

Miso Soup

ClearBroth Soup

Savory Taste (Umami)

Kikunae Ikeda (founder of Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) discovered that glutamic acid is the substance behind Umami. Ajinomoto is one of the most famous seasoning producers in the world.
Umami was added to the five tastes which include sweetness, sourness, bitterness, spiciness and saltiness to make a total of six tastes.
"Umami" has become a common word among the cooks all around the world.

"Food and Drink" is Universal

Alcohol is essential for dining experiences no matter where you go.
Wine, Sake (Daiginjo) and Shaoxing rice wine are considered to be the top 3 alcohol drinks in the world. White wine goes very well with Japanese cuisine (Sushi and Sashimi), not to mention sake. Koshu wine contains little iron and has gentle sourness.
At the Toyako Summit in 2008, white wine produced in the Zao area in Yamagata was served with dishes.

Koshu Wine

*For the details, please refer to the featured article below.
http://www.perfume-story.com/2011/04/aroma-of-japanese-sake.html

Japanese Cuisine Gains the Confidence of the International Community

Japanese cuisine is booming all around the world. Ramen restaurants have gained popularity in Shanghai and New York. Conveyor belt sushi restaurants are flourishing all around the world. Several factors could explain this explosion of popularity. The health consciousness of people could be considered one of the main reasons behind this movement. The fact that Japanese dishes are made with careful attention to safety is also an important factor.
Japanese cuisine was brought about by the Dashi soup stock culture whose roots go back as far as the Jomon period. We are proud of the fact that Japanese cuisine is gaining attention and is enjoyed all around the globe. Regardless of whether it is listed as a cultural property this November or not, no one can deny the fact food from a small island country in the Far East has spread around the world. 　

On a hill with a breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge

We visited a house of natural perfumer, Ms. Laurie Stern, after driving for thirty minutes from downtown San Francisco.
The house is located on a hill on which you have spectacular view of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. In the big garden, she has beehives from which she harvests her homemade honey. She served us strawberry with the honey. When I told her that the mild homemade honey makes the fresh strawberry taste even more delicious, she nodded with a big smile.

The theme is cats

As we entered the beautiful and magnificent garden, a cat came to my foot. In fact, we cannot tell Laurie's story without cats! Laurie's perfume company, called "Velvet & Sweet Pea's PURRFUMERY," is spelled like a cat's "purr" instead of "perfumery". There is a story behind it.

After she ended her wedding flower business she started collecting essences. Then, she encountered a book, titled, "The art of Purrfumery... The Odors of Plants" She was very inspired by it; she knew this book was going to change her life. She read it over and over again, taking notes of important points, which later inspired her precious formulations for her perfumes. As a lifelong lover and protector of cats, she knew she would lovingly incorporate this theme into her perfume business. Now all her perfume bottles have designs of cats on them. She also inserts antique poetry with cats in her marketing and on the "scent cards" that come with her perfumes. She injects all her love into "Velvet & Sweet Pea's PURRFUMERY". Currently she lives with her husband, Gary, four cats, 2 rescue pigeons, and bees.

The essence is all-natural.

She sells her perfumes online at her website www.purrfumery.com and at her Purrfumery in the East Bay hills by appointment.

The essence of her perfume is 100% natural botanical, including such ingredients as organic grape alcohol, flowers from her own garden, spices and honey, etc. There are 200 different prescriptions, and she currently has fifteen products for sale. She only sells products that she trusts and loves.
She names her products uniquely, naming some of her perfumes Jewelry of Heaven and Kittylicious Eau de Parfum. When she makes a prescription, she tries to listen to voices from Earth in her meditation. When she started making perfumes as gifts for her friends, they suggested she start a business. Now she has customers from as far as away as Russia, as well as many Americans, of course. On her website, while she offers some practical information on natural botanical perfume across the world, she entertains readers with fun designs and pictures.

Laurie Stern's Velvet & Sweet Pea's PURRFUMERY
http://www.purrfumery.com/index.php

"Feeling the Wind of Seoul" / 서울의 바람을 느끼고

An encounter transcending a quarter of a century

The view of Yeouido Plaza from a ferry in 1988

In March of 1988, the view from the mighty Han River which flows east-to-west in the center of Seoul was imminently brimming with the vitality for the Olympics. The Seoul Olympics were called pal-pal which means 88 in Korean. Everyone in South Korea anticipated and provided cooperation for the Olympics bringing about its outstanding success. The high-level economic growth in South Korea is called "the Miracle on the Han River" and has received accolades from around the world.
In the early morning in Seoul, the morning mist and the smog which was proof of the economic growth mixed to produce a fantastic atmosphere.
In 2002, South Korea held the FIFA World Cup jointly with Japan. The South Korean team made it all the way to the semi-finals giving the world a glimpse at what it can do.
25 years after pal-pal (88), South Korea has led the Asian economy along with Japan and continues to make rapid progress even today as a leader of Asia.
It has been a half century since the Olympics. South Korea has provided constant stimulation as a suitable partner for Japan in a number of political, economical and cultural facets.
In September of 2012, I met Dr. Miyong Lee at a group exhibition held at an university in Seoul (ANDB: Asia Network Beyond Design, http://anbd.info/p_jp/exhibition.html).　The native of Seoul is currently teaching at a Japanese university as a doctor of Kansei sciences. She carries out research day and night on how the shape of objects influences human sensitivity.
The modern Seoul Station stands next to the former Seoul Station which is a historical architectural structure. I sat down for an interview with Dr. Miyong Lee at a top-floor buffet overlooking the rapid transit (KTX) platform.

Present Seoul Station	Inside Seoul Station
Former Seoul Station Building: Registered as a Korean historical spot No. 284	Rapid Transit (KTX) Platform

She wore very little make-up and was neat and trim. To sum up her appearance, she looked like a very stylish Korean woman. She had the aura reminiscent of a Korean actress. She was born and raised in Seoul. She majored in design in the university and worked for a design company after graduating. After that, she wanted to pursue how shapes influence sensation in humans. Presently she is teaching at Hokkaido University in Japan while carrying out specialized studies on "Kansei evaluation" every day. She showed interested in the shape of the glass containers of Koa Glass.
In her university days in Seoul, she dealt with the total package design of body care cosmetics by herself. She told me of the difficulties and enjoyment of working together with glass craftsmen at that time.

	Pictured : Designs of body care cosmetics from university days (She carried out total design from creating the concept and the bottle shape to the label design and the packaging)

She enjoys drinking and talking with many different people. Her favorite drinks are Japanese alcohol such as beer and sake. Since coming to Hokkaido she has enjoyed taking up calligraphy and skiing and wants to enjoy her new hobbies for a long time.

＜Cosmetics＞
She does not have a cosmetics maker yet that she particularly prefers. For skin care, she emphasizes maintaining moisture in your skin by using face lotion and milky lotion normally morning and night.
She uses lipstick, eye shadow and mascara moderately. Recently, nail art has been popular among young girls in Seoul. This is said to partly be influenced by Japanese celebrities. She does not use perfume frequently. However, she likes miniature bottles to adjust to her mood and who she's going to meet on special occasions. The first perfume she used was 15 years ago. The perfume she used was called eSpoir from the Korean cosmetics company Amore. She remembers feeling a little giddy like she became an adult woman by applying the sweet scent. She thinks the basis of make-up is to give a sense of cleanliness. Using perfume is having consideration not only for yourself, but for those around you. We chatted about her friends who put on CHANEL No 5 after eating Korean cuisine.

The famous sightseeing spot of Bukchon in Seoul

She feels that the number of people using perfume will slowly increase not only among the youth in Seoul, but everywhere in South Korea.

After the interview, we took a walk through the streets of Seoul bustling with the early autumn wind. From the peaceful Bukchon we made our way to the lively area of Insadong. The small bars in Insadong were crowded with citizens of Seoul both young and old. You can feel the power of South Korea here. It has been a quarter of a century since I've strolled down the streets of Seoul. Seoul was built focusing on the principles of Feng Shui. It is believed that the invisible forces of Heaven and Earth bring in good fortune from the surrounding environment.
While feeling the comfortable early autumn wind, I left behind Seoul Station and headed back to Japan. It has been a quarter of a century since my first visit to South Korea. This meeting with this magnificently intelligent woman may have been brought about by Feng Shui.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A beautiful hydrophilic park of Cheonggyecheon, a place for the people of Seoul to take a break

Azure
Every time we fly, and we look out at the sky, the color of that sky is a wonderfully clear blue. That color is azure.
Wherever we land, the blue of the ocean is different from country to country.
The Aegean Sea is said to be the color of wine and grapes, beloved by the Greeks.
The seas of the southern countries, with their coral reefs, are exceptional. The tan hues of sandy beaches and the deepening azure of the sea create constantly shifting gradations of blue, scattered by white waves as they break across the reefs.
A poet once said, "The white bird does not sorrow, but takes flight, undyed by the blue of sea and sky."
When the ocean rages, it visits enormous damage upon us.

Deepening bonds
Little by little, the resilient people of eastern Japan are recovering from the acts of the gods of earth and sea.
The government has set its budget and is gradually shifting into action. Yet the reality remains harsh.
Over 300,000 refugees remain unavoidably estranged from their familiar lives at home.
While the number of participants has declined from the initial phases, volunteer activities are still going strong.
The reports from our employees, who have recorded their experiences of those efforts, recount in vivid detail the still-raw wounds of the disaster.
Efforts to purchase goods from the ravaged area on favorable terms are continuing. The festivals revived this summer usher in the spirits of the departed and deeply recall the bonds between the people who once lived here, as their names suggest: the Bon Festival of ancestral spirits; the fireworks festival; the festival of the lanterns. The disaster prompted many Japanese to think deeply about the importance of those bonds.

The Road to Recovery
The reconstruction plans appear to be moving steadily forward, as specialists work with the government on proposals for the residents in each region, focusing on moving residents to higher elevations that are more resistant to tsunami.
The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident survey team is led by Prof. Yotaro Hatamura, advocate of the "failure-ology" approach. The content of the team's report prompts everyone involved to reflect intensely on these terrible events.
The ease with which the fury of nature smashed our simple defenses, and the sheer power of the disaster that so vastly exceeding the limits of our imaginations, calls out for us to prepare with greater knowledge and unflagging effort.
(In 2000 Hatamura published a book entitled Shippaigaku ("Failure-ology"), in which he touched on the problem of tsunami. In the caption to one photograph, Hatamura remarked, "Houses must not be built lower than this stone monument, to avoid damage from tsunami.")
Throughout Japan and around the world, efforts are ongoing to encourage people to take action on the earthquake disaster, including a series of events that are held to support those caught up in the disaster. Uminonakama ("Friends of the Sea") is donating fishing boats. Farmers are switching to greenhouse horticulture. Using direct-sales networks that link them with new customers over the Internet, producers are forming new bonds with consumers. All of these efforts are slowly but surely bearing fruit.

A New Path
All around us, people are pivoting toward a new direction, doing what they can to make a difference.
Today we face difficult choices. We can no longer afford to be complacent. The only way we will get answers is to think about others, and above all, have courage and perseverance. We must have turn weakness into strength.
At this year's Summer Olympics in London, a number of athletes achieved unprecedented records.
Usain Bolt from Jamaica, a developing country in the Caribbean, captured two gold medals in succession for the 100m and 200m footraces.
By pushing his muscle training to the limits, he overcame the difficulty of having a deformed spine. Bolt became the world's fastest man with room to spare.
The slogan of the London Olympics, "Inspire the Generation," was a message to a new year and a new generation, and to a new generation of nations as well. The host country for the next Olympic Games will be Brazil, in the dynamic heart of South America.

One Beautiful Step
Among the people who rushed to Japan in the wake of the disaster, to give people courage through their efforts, was Lady Gaga.
This year Lady Gaga chose one of her favorite haunts, Harajuku in Tokyo, to launch sales of her line of perfume, Lady Gaga Fame.
I hope this launch will lend momentum to the growing ranks of new enthusiasts in the fragrance field, in Japan and elsewhere.
In January 2012, Koa began operations using a new automated bottle making machine for small bottles.
This machine is not only the latest models but is also fully customized for luxury products of the highest grade. For this breakthrough, Koa drew on all of the advanced technology and expertise it has accumulated over its extensive track record.
As our customers worldwide blaze new trails, we at Koa are here to offer powerful and effective cooperation.

Tatsuhiko Idei
President
Koa Glass Co.,Ltd.

The disaster that took many lives but continues to bring the best out of people across the world

Thoughts on participating as a volunteer in the Ishinomaki region

A year and a half has passed since the earthquake. Over my visits to the area in June and October this year, one could sense slight, gradual signs of recovery.
The lessons learned from the Chile tsunami half a century ago had been in vain.
Support (material and human) for the disaster-affected regions as well as, of course, Japan has come from all corners of the globe, and this support has come in various shapes and sizes. A fishing vessel was donated to one port from China. Buoy and rope for oyster farming were transported by air from France. I would like to express my gratitude to countries and people all over the world.

The Tragedy of the Damaged Towns and Ports of Eastern Japan

Briefing on support given to the women's section of the Ogatsu district fishing port

The above flame of hope was lit in March last year at the wasteland of Ishinomaki, a region swallowed by the tsunami. There is no end to the number of people laying flowers there in memory of those who died.

Nobody can guess how long the road to recovery will last.
Sadly even now, disaster-affected regions correspond to the moniker of "ghost town". In what way and at what speed will recovery take place from hereon?It is hard to deny that there are regional disparities in the extent of recovery.

June 2012 - A fish-processing tank lies beside a national highway

October - Slight signs of recovery (the same place as the photo above)

A steam locomotive lies tragically on its side (demonstrating the force of the tsunami)

The Ishinomaki train station, which is separated from the coast, is no exception. It was greatly damaged by the tsunami.

What is needed now is empathy between people.

Many volunteers can be seen even now at the disaster-affected regions. Volunteer groups all the way from abroad are also playing an active role (albeit comparably reduced compared to one year ago).
While this disaster was unprecedented in terms of the size of the earthquake, tsunami and the resultant radioactive contamination, I believe that the exchange between peoples of all nationalities and human decency will absorb this disaster.

Disaster volunteering - memo (1)

I paid a visit to the Ishinomaki Okawa Elementary School, where 74 of the school's entire 108 students either died or went missing.
A lump came to my throat when I thought of the wasted lives of these students that were swallowed by the tsunami, even though there was 50 minutes to escape before the giant tsunami arrived.
I put my palms together in the direction of the sea and sky to prey for their souls.
On the other hand, not one of the 184 students of the Kamaishi Municipal Elementary School, located in a coastal area, was lost to the tsunami even though they had already left school, and this has become known as the "Miracle of Kamaishi".
Making good use of knowledge acquired through disaster prevention education, the students exercised judgment that would put adults to shame and took speedy action in seeking refuge away from the giant tsunami measuring in excess of 15m. The children saved many lives through action such as taking the hands of their younger siblings, carrying friends with physical disabilities, and telling older people to evacuate.
As demanded by the Tohoku dialect expression, "tsunami-tendenko" (meaning "protect your own life"), taking the smart action of sprinting to high ground for shelter strongly taught us the lesson that we must protect our own lives.

Okawa Elementary School

Disaster volunteering - memo (2)

Recovery of the Sanriku coastal area fishing ports with its extensive fertile sea is still delayed. However, buoy and rope were sent by air from the French company, Louis Vuitton, to support the speedy recovery of oyster farming in the region.
The president and CEO, Yves Carcelle, said "bonds between France and Japan are deep, so it is only natural that we want to give something back at times like this."
He said this because he had heard that when oysters in the Brittany region were devastated by disease about 50 years ago, seed oysters from Miyagi Prefecture were sent to France and saved its oyster industry. It was,thus, the repayment of a kindness to French oyster farming.
Chanel is piling up the instances of caring for a women's heart through cosmetic volunteering. The president of Chanel Japan, Richard Collasse immediately made his way to Kesennuma himself and he brought sleeping bags for the victims with him.

The fishermen of Kesennuma city say, "there isn't a single person that bears a grudge against the sea despite being devastated by the tsunami. I'm one of those people. The sea is my life and it's the main stay of fishermen".
With the exception of the rebirth of the fisheries industry, the recovery of the Tohoku region is improbable.

Onagawa district - Recovery support dumpers frequently go back and forth to the area on a daily basis. The earliest possible recovery is hoped for.