Jiro Dreams of Sushi
When you think of Japan, sushi is one of the first things to come to mind as this dish has become famous internationally. Below is the cover of the June/July issue of the JCCC newsletter with a simple picture of one sushi.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story (documentary of sorts) by David Gleb of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review. There is no set menu and cost starts at 30,000 yen ($350).
At the heart of this film is Jiro’s relationship with his eldest son Yoshikazu, the worthy heir to Jiro’s legacy, who is unable to live up to his full potential in his father’s shadow.
Dance Dance Dance
First published in 1988 by Kodansha International, Dance Dance Dance is the sixth novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami (and it is also the sixth novel by the author that I read including 1Q84, Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood, After Dark, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle). The English translation by Alfred Birnbaum was released in 1994. The book is a sequel to Murakami’s novel A Wild Sheep Chase (which I have not yet read, maybe the next one to read?).
The English hardcover closely resembles the original Japanese version.
Set in Tokyo in the 1980s, the story is about a commercial writer (the narrator) who returns the Dolphin Hotel, where he once stayed with a woman he loved, despite the fact he never even knew her real name. She has since disappeared without a trace, the Dolphin Hotel has been purchased by a large corporation and converted into a slick, fashionable, western-style hotel. Just like Murakami’s other novels, he encounters a number of interesting characters including an old school friend, now a famous film actor, a call girl introduced by his school friend, a clairvoyant and troubled 13-year-old girl, her equally troubled parents, a one-armed poet and the Sheep Man. The plot is hard to describe – not sure there was a plot?
Different paperback covers shows the diversity of the story.
Departures
Departures is a 2008 critically acclaimed Japanese film by Yōjirō Takita winning the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the 32nd Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year.
Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a cellist in Tokyo, loses his job when his orchestra is disbanded and decides to move back to his hometown in Yamagata with his wife Mika (Ryōko Hirosue). He answers an job ad in the newspaper for “assisting departures”. He gets hired on the spot and learns that involves preparing the dead.
Liar Game: The Final Stage
The Liar Game is a Japanese manga series originally written and illustrated by Shinobu Kaitani. The manga was first serialized in 2005 in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Young Jump.
In 2007, it was adapted into a TV series on Fuji TV airing for two seasons. Liar Game: The Final Stage was released in 2010 as a live action film.
Kanzaki Nao (Erika Toda) is an honest and naive college student who receives a hundred million yen one day, along with a card saying she has been chosen to take part in the “Liar Game”. The aim of the game is to trick the other players out of their hundred million dollars. At the end, the winner gets the hundred million and the loser is a hundred million yen in debt. She enlists the help of a genius con artist, Akiyama Shinichi (Matsuda Shota), who has just been recently released from jail.
Each game is different and quite interesting, as the strategy employed by Shinichi is slowly revealed as he outwits his opponents in spite of Nao’s honesty. Initially, you would think these were games of chance or luck, but are really not once you fully understand how to win. The cast of characters, the players, were funny and interesting. Both the series and movie were excellent.
Photo of the Day: Red Torii on Top of a Mountain
A small shrine with a red torii gate can be found at the top of a mountain accessed by riding the Komagatake Ropeway cable car in Hakone.
Shiseido 140 Year Anniversary Exhibit
Shiseido is a major Japanese hair care and cosmetics producer. It is one of the oldest cosmetics companies (founded in 1872) and currently the world’s fourth largest cosmetics company. A small exhibit was held in the George Hosaki room at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center (JCCC) to commemorate its 140 year anniversary.
The exhibit featured some of Shiseido’s old and new products in its long history.
Historical pictures and posters were hung on the walls.
A few close-ups of some of the exhibit items.
Around the same time, Shiseido sponsored the 3.11 Portrait Project exhibit at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center (JCCC) Gallery.
Photo of the Day: Shirakawa
An image of the Shirakawa channel in Gion, Kyoto, with a few old ochaya, 2-story wooden buildings with traditional Japanese design, with lattice windows and sudare (screens or blinds din bamboo) for protection against sun and insects.
Shirakawa means “white river”.
Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a 1994-5 novel published (as 3 books) in Japan by Haruki Murakami (I have read 4 other Murakami books – 1Q84, Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood, After Dark). For this novel, Murakami received the Yomiuri Literary Award.
The book was translated to English by Jay Rubin and first published in 1997 with the 3 books in one volume: The Thieving Magpie, Bird as Prophet, The Birdcatcher. Below, the first US edition hardcover was designed by Chip Kidd.
The story is about a young man named Toru Okada who is living in a Tokyo suburb who just left his job and loses both his wife (Kumiko Okada) and cat (named after his wife’s brother, then later is named Mackarel after Toru finds him). Murakami weaves an intricate and interesting story and cast of characters that Okada encounters who are linked together in the real and netherworld including a psychic prostitute (Creta Kano) and her sister (Malta Kano); his wife’s brother, a charismatic politician (Noboru Wataya) who Okada hates; a cheerfully morbid sixteen-year-old-girl (May Kasahara); an aging war veteran (Lieutenant Mamiya) who has been permanently changed by the hideous things he witnessed during Japan’s forgotten campaign in Manchuria; an enigmatic famous fashion designer (Nutmeg Akasaka) and her silent son (Cinammon Akasaka). Doesn’t that sound very interesting (or maybe confusing)?
Below is the paperback cover designed by John Gall.
Shinobi: Heart Under The Blade
Shinobi: Heart Under Blade is a 2005 Japanese romantic drama film directed by Ten Shimoyama and written by Kenya Hirata, starring Joe Odagiri and Yukie Nakama. It won best actor and best new actress awards at both the Kinema Junpo Awards and Yokohama Film Festival.
The story is an adaptation of Futaro Yamada’s novel The Kouga Ninja Scrolls, which depicts the clash between two ninja clans, Iga and Kouga, and the fated love between Gennosuke (Kouga) and Oboro (Iga). The movie has lots of fighting (as expected) and romantic scenes so there something for everyone.
Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Livability Index: Tokyo ranked 10th
The bi-annual Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Livability Index ranked Hong Kong as the top city in a study that was compiled by an architect and urban planner, Filippo Lovato. Osaka and Tokyo came in at #3 and #10 respectively, while Toronto (the only North American city which made the top 10) came in #8.
The top 10 ‘spatially adjusted’ most livable cities are:
- Hong Kong
- Amsterdam
- Osaka
- Paris
- Sydney
- Stockholm
- Berlin
- Toronto
- Munich
- Tokyo
