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FUNAZUSHI
15 February 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Not a few years ago I wrote an homage to an art form in Japan, the way of A-te. It involved collecting and sharing epicurean specialties from local regions throughout Japan. This traditional art form has come under attack as of late from perhaps the most quintessential omiyageya in Japan.
This first came to my attention when in October it was discovered that Akafuku, the Japanese confectioners to the gods, had been freezing their wares and reselling them at a later date.
It may not seem like such a big deal, but Akafuku had a reputation of providing fresh mochi to their customers for over 300 years. I visited Ise twice this summer and bought some omiyage from Akafuku, and was told to eat it within two days to maintain its freshness.
If you have every visited Ise Jingu you will have seen signage for Akafuku plastered on every sign post and wall within an hours drive from the place. Akafuku is synonymous with Ise, if you visit you must at least sample if not bring back their wares to your appreciative friends.
Now lest I paint Akafuku as an evil corporate food conglomerate, they have given much to the Ise community. They virtually rebuilt, Okageyoko-cho, the town surrounding Ise Shrine using traditional building methods from around Mie. Having lost its lustre for many years, it has come back from being the Niagara Falls of Japan, to be a booming tourist destination.
This trend in tarnishing local food culture has reached back to its roots in rural China. There was an article a while back in Open Democracy that described the deterioration of local food culture to the point where restaurants where lacing their soup with opium to attract customers.
As an acolyte of the way of A-te, this puts the fear of well, food poisoning in me. Unfortunately the only short term solution seems to be to follow the old Italian adage (and Cibo Matto song), "know your chicken". Though we support buying locally at farmer's markets at Chez Funazushi, we still have wanderlust of the tongue. Perhaps rising oil prices will be the only thing to keep our tummies safe.
This first came to my attention when in October it was discovered that Akafuku, the Japanese confectioners to the gods, had been freezing their wares and reselling them at a later date.
It may not seem like such a big deal, but Akafuku had a reputation of providing fresh mochi to their customers for over 300 years. I visited Ise twice this summer and bought some omiyage from Akafuku, and was told to eat it within two days to maintain its freshness.
If you have every visited Ise Jingu you will have seen signage for Akafuku plastered on every sign post and wall within an hours drive from the place. Akafuku is synonymous with Ise, if you visit you must at least sample if not bring back their wares to your appreciative friends.
Now lest I paint Akafuku as an evil corporate food conglomerate, they have given much to the Ise community. They virtually rebuilt, Okageyoko-cho, the town surrounding Ise Shrine using traditional building methods from around Mie. Having lost its lustre for many years, it has come back from being the Niagara Falls of Japan, to be a booming tourist destination.
This trend in tarnishing local food culture has reached back to its roots in rural China. There was an article a while back in Open Democracy that described the deterioration of local food culture to the point where restaurants where lacing their soup with opium to attract customers.
As an acolyte of the way of A-te, this puts the fear of well, food poisoning in me. Unfortunately the only short term solution seems to be to follow the old Italian adage (and Cibo Matto song), "know your chicken". Though we support buying locally at farmer's markets at Chez Funazushi, we still have wanderlust of the tongue. Perhaps rising oil prices will be the only thing to keep our tummies safe.
01 February 2008 @ 05:42 pm
In India when a man starts to see grey hairs sprout from his beard, having provided for his family, it is time for him to begin his spiritual journey to prepare for his ultimate demise. Though not nearly finished getting my financial matters in order, I have noticed a bit of grey hair beginning to pepper my beard and head. So, I thought it might be time to consider the inconsiderable. What better place to start than at the end.
This summer I had the opportunity to visit my dai ni furusato(second hometown), Kyoto. It has been about 15 years since I lived there but every time I go back I feel a strong connection to the place. After a day of exploring the backstreets of the city, I stopped for a drink at a beer garden I used to frequent on the corner of Shijo and Kawabata dori. It was about 5:00 and the sun was getting low over the West side of the city, offering a spectacular sunset. Turning to the East, I noticed a cemetery in the Higashiyama area overlooking the city. It was there that I decided that I wish to be buried. So if you''re in the area in about 50 years(hopefully) pay me a visit. If you are so inclined, clean my gravestone and leave a can of Guiness draft.
