Turning Japanese
My first visit to Japan was in January. The streets of Tokyo and Kyoto were quiet. Undoubtedly the low season in Japan. What I found was a sleepy country filled with modest people. Reserved and respectful, the other guests of Japan's disorienting train system were the most honorable train passengers I have ever seen. The skies were either overcast or crystal clear during the winter visit. I caught my first glimpse of Mount Fuji zipping past at 200 miles per hour. Little did I know that a view that clear should not be taken for granted. I visited the Fushimi Inari temple with almost no other visitors. I ate on the side of the great hill complex where the shop owner made it clear the place was not geared towards foreigners - but served us our ramen all the same. I visited museums, sushi bars and bought my first pair of raw denim jeans - a Japanese favorite. I thought I had an understanding of Japan but everytime I return, I realize just how much I have to learn.
I didn't grow up watching much anime. Don't get me wrong. As a child I loved Pokemon and classics like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. But I wasn't indoctrinated into the arts of Japan at an early age like so many western peers. It took time for me to open up to the taste and style of Japanese art and storytelling. I preferred my standard western art. As a kid, Batman or the Simpsons were good enough for me and the Saturday morning cartoons I watched were distinctly familiar and American.
I didn't start to come around to Japanese entertainment until I saw the 2010 film 13 Assassins. The humor, action and plot flow had a very different feel. Though I’d seen Japanese films before this, it was the first time I became aware of the difference in styles. This first Samurai film got me started down a rabbit hole of Japanese entertainment. Films like Seven Samurai gave way to action stories like Battle Royale with lead me to Yakuza films like Outrage. Eventually landing me into japanese dramedies like Adrift in Tokyo. I had begun consuming Japanese media and culture in earnest. I even started to understand some of the anime that had bored me as a child. I'd been lost in a strange and simplistic plot while missing it's visuals and flash aesthetic. I started to appreciate the odd humor and wildly exaggerated character reactions.
One of my first visits to Tokyo involved the famous Robot Restaurant. Before delving into the world of Japanese entertainment, I might have missed the point of this spectacle. The Robot Restaurant is all about weird razzle dazzle. It's flashy and mesmerizing like a flamenco dance but less graceful and a lot more explosions. Though it lacks all plot and character development, it has a shiny veneer of the past's future. Reminiscent of Power Rangers, its incredibly simple, over the top and loaded with down right dorky special effects. I can't recommend it enough.
My ignorance to Japanese culture applied to much more than just cartoons and robots (or transhuman robots?). My grandfather is pure Swedish. At a certain age I vividly remember trying pickled herring at a Swedish family picnic. The salty, boney fishy experience revolted me so greatly that I stopped eating fish altogether for almost ten years.
When I entered my early 20s, I had never tried sushi. Remembering the taste of pickled herring had set my taste buds back years in development. My closed mindedness destroyed many a beautiful opportunity. I had sushi on a date once. The date was blah but the food was intriguing. I sacked up and ate my first raw fish in the form of maki. Surprisingly delicious and easy to eat. The concept of raw fish had once made me cringe but was now the gateway into the sophisticated sensory experience of sushi. The American sushi bars I began frequenting became more and more polished. My hometown Chicago is not known for sushi. Considering its water source is a massive lake, all the classic sushi items are imported. Chicago's Japanese community is non-existent compared with LA and New York. It wasn't long before I started travelling to these cities to get a little closer to the real deal.
Fast forward to my first visit to Japan. I ate at several high end sushi ya's. Michelin Stars, Tabelog and TripAdvisor's best. Life changing to say the least. While there is a definite pomp and embarassing pretense in having eaten at so many restaurants there is absolutely no regret. I'm very much a street food person but the fine dining of a high end sushi ya is worth the hefty price tag and difficult reservation process. Ironically, sushi was one of Japan’s original street foods and was originally prepared out of carts on roadsides in 17th century Japan. Amazing to see the kind of evolution the food has made.
I have a list of sushi yas to strive for but have managed to eat some damn good product. The crux of good sushi (by which I mean Nigiri) is an axiom of Japanese culture which is balance. The vinegared rice must be at body temperature. Never over or undercooked. The wasabi must be gently and evenly applied over the rice, not the fish. The soy sauce should never contact/contaminate the rice until it is exploding between your teeth. Don’t you dare try putting ginger on a piece of quality nigiri! The fish is important but ironically is not the hallmark of the experience. Good sashimi is easier to produce then high quality nigiri. I've daydreamed alot over this particular food. It's been a long path to eating fish but I owe it all to the Japanese.
One of my favorite sushi experiences was at Sushi Yasuda in Tokyo. Lacking pretense, and quite comfortable with his western guests, chef Yasuda not only served a fantastic meal but also made plenty of jokes about Tokyo’s celebrity sushi masters like Jiro and Masuda. Mocking their age and celebrity despite the fact that Yasuda is something of a celebrity in his own right. It was a very entertaining meal.
Yasuda was a part owner and head chef at Sushi Yasuda in New York City. This restaurant was long considered to be the best sushi restaurant in New York. It was certainly the best sushi meal I've had in the U.S.
Yasuda reports that when he left New York to return to Tokyo, the restaurant was legally allowed to keep his namesake against his wishes. The Sushi Yasuda of New York has never publicly acknowledged that the restaurant and chef Yasuda split on bad terms. Yasuda explains this is why he will never again take on apprentices or allow his name to be used in any business he doesn't completely control.
The balance of Japan is more than just a long running stereotype. In medieval times, the Japanese quickly learned that deforesting and overhunting would ultimately cause themselves great harm. A respect for nature was fostered in the Japanese people. Despite having the largest metropolitan area on Earth, Japan is filled with a love for trees, rivers and mountains. Animism is a key piece of the shinto belief system. For a time, Japan was regarded as the most futuristic society. It has even earned the title "land of tomorrow," though this may be due to the fact that it is a often literally a day ahead of the west. If there is any wonder about Japan's love for nature, simply visit during Sakura (cherry blossoms) or Koyo (leaf turning) season.
Beyond Japan's balance with nature, the spiritual side of Japan is a fascinating dichotomy. The original religion of Japan is Shinto. Then Japan welcomed Buddhism from the west and for a brief time even Christianity, ironically coming from the east. The torii gates that litter Japan, like the Shinto religion, are unique to these islands and add a simple element of beauty to Japan's glorious natural environments. They are distinctly Japanese and even have an emoji which I have never once seen used. As you can also see from Instagram, I like to shoot them.
Despite Japan’s traditional practices, customs and beliefs - it is also very secular. Though I would always recommend being respectfully quiet in any place of worship, the Japanese have a particular laissez-faire approach to visiting temples. The general rule of conduct is to always be respectful.
Japan took on and improved technology from the west, such as locomotives. Japan is now one of the most convenient countries to traverse by train. As a small child I loved train sets. I've been told one of my favorites was the Japanese Shinkansen. In it's heyday, this machine was a revolution. I can still appreciate it's marvelous design while travelling across the Kanto countryside, zipping past Mount Fuji eating a bento box or taking a nap all while travelling around 200 miles per hour.
Of all the Japanese artistic styles and eras, Ukiyo-e, the floating world, is the standout classic and clearly inspires all modern Japanese art. It is also the style which most inspires me. The imaginative landscapes and portraits from the 19th century are both surreal yet deeply connected to the Japanese soul. I am untattooed, but if I were, I would undoubtedly opt for a rendition of Kawanabe Kyosai's Hell Courtesan. Or perhaps a sprawling Great Wave of Kanagawa from the Thirty six Views of Mount Fuji. And that, dear friends, is why I don't have any tattoos.
But I am far from the only western fan of classic Japanese pop art. The imagery of Japan has been adopted by the mainstream throughout the Americas. Kanye West's Takashi Murakami album art for Graduation. Ozuna shooting a music video in Tokyo during Sakura with a break dancing animated teddy bear. J Balvin using Japanese themes not only in song content but even caricatures in the scenery in his latest Arcoiris tour. It's even reported Balvin is involved in an upcoming anime film - kind of an odd departure for a latino pop star from Colombia. It is even believed that Manga is the forefather of comic books. How many of the emojis in our keyboards are of strictly Japanese origin? Japanese pop art has well permeated the west.
In writing about my adoration of all things Japanese, I would be a fool not to touch on the influential street styles of Japan. Walking through Tokyo is a fashion parade might only be rivaled by Paris. Though the Japanese style is definitively modern or futuristic, it also has major historic connections to the west. It’s obsession with denim is evidence and Okayama is a mecca for denim heads.
On my latest visit to Tokyo, I happened upon a thrift store named Chicago (my hometown!) located in Aoyama. This location offers a variety of vintage Tsukajan jackets. Inspired by American baseball jackets, the tailors of Yokohama began designing these jackets for Americans stationed in Japan after World War 2. Appropriately known in English as Souvenir jackets, the American GI's wanted a more "oriental" style embroidered onto the jackets. In response to this demand, flamboyant Chinese and Japanese symbols were added. Thus a 60 year fashion trend was born. If modern street style isn't your thing, Chicago also offers a wide variety of clothing and their Harajuku location has a massive inventory of traditional kimonos.
The most infuriating part of Japan is the language. Though I've spent huge amounts of time studying it, I can't seem to develop an ear for it or retain vocabulary. Having three different "alphabets" doesn't help either!
I have plans to return once again to this great nation. In the next year I'll write a bit more about specific locations and my experiences in Japan during its distinct seasons. Sakura is the most internationally beloved time of year and come spring time I will write a blog post dedicated solely to this magic time of year when I love to visit Japan the most. When I have a big more experience with the fall Koyo season, I will also give some of my favorite places to see the beautiful red leaves.
After all these visits I still haven't turned Japanese but I'm working on it.