Kikan Kochi
Features

Enjoy Kochi！ × Kikan Kochi Style
Giant Interview
Actress and Singer Keiko Toda
A new serial

An Extra by Yukinori Dehara

AutumnThe Photographer Ken-chan, Capricious Photo Diary 37

Summer Memories of 2014

The shooting location: Nagaoka-gun, Otoyo-cho, September 3, 2014

We had a lot of rain this summer.

Profile of Kenzo Nakajima

In every part of Japan

Born in 1959, in Kochi.
Graduated from the Photography
Department of Osaka University of
Arts.
Member of the Japan AdvertisingP h o t o gra p h e r ’s A s s o c i a t i o n /member of The Japan Society forArts and History of Photography.
Photography of posters for Kochi
tourism, a variety of advertisement
brochures etc.
Working as a photography lecturer
and conducting a seminar on
photography abroad.
Currently living in Misono-cho,
Kochi City.

natural disasters hit us.
This was a summer I sighed looking up at the sky.
Although August is over,Even while writing this manuscript,
I’m surrounded by the sounds of thunder and hard rain.
The summer of 2014,
Never forgetting the number of lives lost,I’ll write down here the cues my memory gives me.
2This is the English Version of KIKAN KOCHI.
It is revised in order to shorten its length.
We do hope many people will readthis free online magazine.

CONTENTS
02

The Photographer Ken-chan /Capricious Photo Diary : Kenzo Nakajima

04

Features
Enjoy Kochi！ × Kikan Kochi Style

36

Giant Interview
Actress and Singer Keiko Toda

42

SPECIAL INTERVIEW
Jockey Yutaka Take ×
Yosakoi Horseracing Festival

45

DOKU-SO-GAN : Hidemi Taike46

An Extra by Yukinori Dehara : Yukinori Dehara

48

Designing Your Way of Thinking /a message from a man living in
the 47th prefecture. : Makoto Umebara

52

Hot Chefs Get together in Hot Shimanto

STAFF
Publisher

Yoshihiro Nonami / Cricket
Junichi Kusunoki / Koubun

Advertising

Takayuki Mimoto / Koubun

Editor in Chief

Yoshihiro Nonami / Cricket

Editor

Sachihiko Oouchi / Cricket
Midori Ueta / Cricket

Ttranslation Adviser Hisayo Kariya
Hisa Inoue
Mari Hayakawa
Nobuko Kitamura
John Gallagher
DesignYumi Ito / Cricket

Cover

Hiroshi Kawauchi / Plane

Cover Art

Keiko Shibata

Photographer

Mikiya Kadota

3

4The flavor of rice and the quality of water is essential for brewing sakeas doburoku , homemade unrefined sake, is unfiltered and unpasteurized,
We'll keep producing it in small amounts every month.

Our t ri p st art s wi t h d o b u r o k u .
Mihara Village in Hata County, is surrounded by Shimanto City, Sukumo
City and Tosashimizu City. It's not such a remote place. It takes only about
three hours to drive from Kochi City to the town hall there. This time ourcrew took the “Nakamura-Sukumo Road” from Shimanto City and turned
into the prefectural road 21 at Hirata in Sukumo. Enjoying a great view
over Nakasuji River Dam, we were driving up onto highlands. The scenery
turned gradually into flat land with paddy fields and vegetable fields fromslopes with trees on both sides of a winding road. Without distinguishedbuildings in particular, traditional “calm countryside” was still here. Thisis a place to produce a good quality brand of rice “Miharamai” since theriver is clean and the area has a large temperature difference between day
and night. It is a perfect place to grow good rice and brew doburoku sake.
Farmers here wanted permission to brew doburoku and the government
recognized Mihara as a “doburoku special ward” in 2004. Since then they
have been brewing doburoku using Mihara rice. We thought it would bea great idea to introduce this great doburoku to you, so we planned thisspecial trip. To tell the truth, our chief editor loves sake and his secretdesire to enjoy doburoku brewed in Mihara was behind the scenes.

5Right now there are seven restaurants and B&Bs
run by farmers where we can freely enjoy theirown brands of doburoku . It's a pity that we
couldn't visit all of them, yet we picked one ofthem, “ Kazaguruma”.
When we visited Kazaguruma, Koji Ikemoto, themaster of this restaurant, was preparing to brew

doburoku , making a fire with wood and steaming
rice. He steamed it for about 40 minutes, spreadit over a special board to cool and took it to aworkroom. Here he had to mix it with malted
rice. Only a photographer was allowed to go
into the room because the procedure might bedisturbed if many people come and go. Aftereverything was done, we asked Ikemoto about
producing doburoku .
Koji Ikemoto and his wife who run a farmers'
restaurant and B&B, are serving their brand “Fuki”
as an appetizer. He named it after his wife but indifferent Kanji.

6“As doburoku is unfiltered and unpasteurized
sake, it is best consumed within only threemonths of purchase. Large sake producers brewtheir products in large quantities and heat themto pasteurize, but we brew ours a little at a time,say, a barrel of 50-60 liters, twice a month insummer, four times a month in winter. It takes
about 20 days to brew nice doburoku with a mild
taste. The fermentation is almost completed
even on the 15th day, but it tastes rough withtingling sensation. It is also very difficult tocontrol the temperature of the malt.
I think each brewer has his or her own way
how much rice to use, how much malt to mix,
and how to control the temperature of kura , abrewery. Everyone installed air-conditioning
and heating systems to control the temperatureinside their kura , but many factors affectthe taste of their product, such as how muchsunshine their kura gets, the temperature of thewater they use, and so on. Even though the same
person brews, the taste might differ every timeand it might depend on seasons. So don't spend
your time on thinking too much. All you have to
do is just take it easy and enjoy the variety offlavors of seven brewers, (laughs)” he said.
At f i r s t t hr ee, a nd t hen seven.
We had talked with Kazushi Kawamura, amember of Mihara Commerce and Industry
Society (CIS) before we visited Kazaguruma andasked him why they were working hard brewing

doburoku as their profession.
“At first we just wanted to put some value toMihara rice and applied for 'doburoku special
ward' to get a license to brew sake. Mihara
CIS played a central role. Around 20 villagers

We are spreading the steamed rice on the board.
It smelled so good that we felt very happy when
Ikemoto allowed us to eat a bit of it.
In the workroom, Ikemoto is working alone
with his hands.

7

In Mihara, friendly villagers
we lco m e guests with delicious
doburoku sake and tasty cu isine.

Ikemoto's friend went fishingand caught some small andyoung bonitos called shinko,
and was kind enough to slice
them for us.

8

became interested in this idea and they werefarmers run restaurants as well as B&Bs, andwilling to brew. Yet according to the rules ofthree run only restaurants. All of them use

the 'special ward', they had to run their own

only Mihara rice to brew without using any

B&Bs as well as restaurants. The question was

chemicals like antioxidants and preservatives,

whether they could have enough customersof course.

to make enough profit that would cover the

But we have some problems, though. For

cost of their investment. They also worried

example, we don't have a store that sells allabout other problems such as troublesome

seven brands as the 'Sun River Shimanto' does

paperwork. In order to make things easier,in Shimanto in Hata County. People can buy

the village officials negotiated with the stateand drink each brand at each restaurant, butgovernment and received permission to brew

there's no shop in the area that sells all sevendoburoku sake if they only ran restaurants.

brands. I'm sure customers want to see all ofThis meant they were not forced to operatethem at the same shop to choose whatever

B&Bs. Three farmers received licenses to brew

brand they want. So our project right now

doburoku in 2005 and the doburoku businessis to set up such a store that sells all thein Mihara started. In 2007, the number ofseven brands in our village. Then visitors to

producers increased from three to seven. Fourthe store may also become customers to therestaurants or B&Bs that doburoku producers

asked him to slice them for us. His wife wasrun. It will create a good business cycle

busy putting dishes on the table. We felt as

here. Our producers don't believe in mass

though we were invited to our friends' houseproduction and mass consumption. They are

rather than eating dinner as customers attrying hard to maintain their way of handmade

an inn. Since we ordered the same dinner as

production. I think it's very important forother customers do, I asked his wife what

seven producers here to develop life-long gooddishes were part of their usual menu.

relationships with customers to stabilize their“Our main dish is either tataki (lightly grilled

business situation,” he said.

bonito) or sashimi (sliced raw fish).This

shinko is a gift. Other dishes are vinegared
D r i nk i ng dobur ok u at t hei r B&B wi t hfood, fried food, and simmered food,” shea t r adi t i onal hea rt h cal l ed i rori .

said. Everything tasted great with mild flavor
taking full advantage of the ingredients. As

While Ikemoto was preparing malt in his

for simmered food, she stewed boar meat

workroom, we saw many of his friends visiting

and bamboo shoots, which made me feel sohim. One of them brought some shinko , young

happy. As for tataki , she heaped sliced onion,small bonitos, which he had caught. Ikemoto

cucumber and tomato over sliced bonitos. She
9made her special tataki sauce with vinegar,

this article, I met many villagers such as

sugar, salt and sake without using soy sauce

Mr. and Mrs. Ikemoto, their grandchildren,

as others do. For fried food, she deep fried

their employees, a former director of generalseasoned chicken.

affairs of Mihara government, Tsuno, theFor vinegared food, she used Japanese radish.

president of the doburoku Union and her

Shinko was fresh and chewy, and tasted sohusband, Ikemoto's friends, Kawamura ofdelicious. These dishes did not look as fancy

Mihara CIS, and so on, and I was fascinatedas they would at expensive restaurants,

with them. It took only half a day to cover thisbut she cooked every one of them with a lot

story, but it was a very fruitful time for us. Iof care and love. Doburoku sake, our main

felt Mihara was like Shangri-La with beautiful

concern, danced around nicely in our mouth.

old countryside, nice people and great Mihara

It was fruity with aroma. I enjoyed even the

rice.

texture of grains of rice in it. The sweet flavor
characteristic of pure sake was wonderful. I
emptied a whole bottle since it wasn't too rich.
Some of our crew who had to drive enjoyed
Mihara rice instead of alcohol. Local people
joined our dinner party drinking doburoku
with us. We had a happy time together.
They opened Kazaguruma as a farmer's
restaurant at first. And later they built a
B&B away from the restaurant. Of course wevisited it and collected information about it.
They accept only one group of guests (oneguest is OK, too) per day. It has a traditional
fireplace called irori . Guests can enjoy bothdinner around it and the atmosphere ofold countryside. They have accepted manypilgrims and families from the inside andoutside of Kochi prefecture since this B&B islocated along the Shikoku pilgrimage roadbetween the 38th temple Kongofukuji and the39th temple Enkoji.
While I was collecting materials to cover

10Tre a s u r e o f t h e c o m m u n i t y

Doburoku s a k e m i g h t g o a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d .
Kawamura works for Mihara CIS as a business adviser in charge of

doburoku . He is very enthusiastic and devoted in promoting sales of his
village. Right now his target is doburoku produced here, yet his idea isbigger than only selling their products.
“There are 10 local communities in Kochi prefecture that received
licenses from the doburoku special ward to brew doburoku sake. I'd liketo work together with them and promote sales of all doburoku produced

You can buy doburoku at theM i h a r a s e c t i o n a t “S u n R i v e r
Shimanto” in Shimanto City.

in Kochi Prefecture locally and internationally,” he said.
Our magazine, Kikan Kochi, has this English version for people aroundthe world to read. Now is the time for Mihara to introduce their products
all over the world! In addition many people from abroad now enjoy

ohenro , the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. I hope they will talk about
their trips here and mention the tasty doburoku to their friends andfamilies and more and more people will want the products here. Mihara

doburoku is sake made from local ingredients only, and made by local
producers with love and care. I wish this way may last as it is and thistraditional countryside may stay as it is forever.
Kazushi Kawamura of Mihara SCI.

Farmer's restaurant and B&B

Kazaguruma

52-4 Kaminagatani, Mihara-mura, Hata-gun
TEL：0880-46-3666
Restaurant
Hours/ 8:00am-8:00pm(Reservation required)
Set menu 700 yen
B&B
6500 yen (dinner and breakfast included)(Reservation required)*Enjoy doburoku sake, too.
If you have any questions about the 7 farmers' restaurants and B&B, pleasefeel free to forward them to Mihara Society of Commerce and Industry.
TEL：0880-46-2437
http://www.kochi-shokokai.jp/mihara/mihara_doburoku/
11Enjoy Kochi × Kikan Kochi Style
Fishing Experience at Kaminokae

Wakashiya Farm in Tosa-choThis diner's name of Wakashiya comes from a dish made by the local fishermen.
They cooked their lunch, putting various things from their catch into one pot
and boiling (wakashita ) them with miso as seasoning.

12Nic e to m e e t y o u , s w im m in g c r a b s !
Kochi Prefecture has a 700-km longcoastline facing the Pacific Ocean. It isdotted with ports and towns, where aunique lifestyle and culture have been
nurtured. Kaminokae in Nakatosa-cho
is one such port town, a one-hour drivefrom Kochi City. It is only a 15- minutedrive from the Japanese-style hotel
Kuroshio Honjin, going along Prefecture
Route 25 along the coast. You can enjoy
the beautiful seascape while you’redriving. We asked about the fishingexperience tour and meal service at the
diner named Wakashiya.
We were very excited and happy to learn
about the unique culture of this fishing
town.

13

Akira Otaka, the Chairperson of Kaminokae
Fisheries Co-op, greeted and welcomed us. He
looked full of energy and talked in a loud voice, as
might be expected of a fisherman. He introduced
that day’s instructor, Shoichi Asano, a local
fisherman. We called him Maestro that day.
His tanned face showed his history as a career
fisherman.
First, we learned the special way of mooring boats
to the port. It is a special knot which is easy to do
and hard to untie. It’s also very useful in daily life.
Every fisherman knows it. Maestro explained anddemonstrated it in detail, but it was so difficult for
us that he had to show us sitting directly next to us.
Next, he taught how to attach weight stones to afishing net. The stones were the kind you can findon the beach. We felt the wisdom and the skill of
the experts.
Then we boarded the fishing boat with life jackets
on and started. We sailed off, feeling the sea breeze
on our faces under the clear autumn sky. We weretold we would do some crab fishing. We would
help retrieve the crab baskets. Two fishing ropes
Maestro is very skillful, of course. He
ties knots fast and well. This special
way of knotting is also useful in in
our daily lives.

carrying ten baskets had been placed in the sea.
Maestro jokingly said that we could pull up a richbasket if we were lucky, and that if it was empty
we must have done something which angered
the God of the Sea. He wanted to say fishing is a
job influenced by nature and luck. We pulled thebaskets up one by one, crying with joy at the sightof the crabs inside. The lively crabs sometimes ran
away when they were taken out of the basket, andran around on the deck. We couldn't catch themwith our bare hands; we had to leave the task to

14

Two of us pulling up a basket. It’s
heavy when it surfaces. The sightof the crabs gives you the power tokeep going.

Maestro and Otaka. We felt thrilled
as we were pulling up the baskets.
In the end we got about ten crabs,
which was a great success. Otaka
released the smaller fish and crabs.
After coming back to port, we iced
down the crabs and washed themso as to make them look delicious
when boiled. Then we tried anotheractivity, cruising in a Japanese-stylescull in the bay. Helped by Maestro,
we sailed smoothly at a comfortablespeed. We finished our fishingexperience tour with this.

15

D o n 't mak e me do t hat .

through June, and half of the catch was sent

I wo n ' t c r y any more.

to Kyoto, where pike eels are a local specialty.
Some fishermen earned a full year’s income

During the tour, we heard a lot about

only from pike eels.

Kaminokae, and about the fishing there.

Spiny lobster season opens in September andKaminokae was one of Kochi’s three biggest

lasts until the following April. Swimming

ports, and the home of a unique style ofcrabs are landed all through the year, as

net called the "Tosa-style drop net." During

well as various kinds of fish and shellfish.

Maestro’s childhood, they caught so many

Kaminokae is such a good port that the

kingfish that everyone got fed up with it. The

fishermen are naturally full of confidence andparents threatened to make their children eat

pride in their trade.

kingfish if they were crying. The children

It was these local fishermen who planned thisbegged their parents, “Don't make me eat

fishing experience tour. They started trial

it! I won't cry anymore" and stopped crying

tours in 2005 and gained a lot of experience

instantly. I heard this story from other people

in the field, opening the Wakashiya diner inalso. A number of unique fishing techniques

2009. Many families and groups on school

were developed in Kaminokae, for example

trips come, even from other prefectures. The

fishing for flying fish using lures that look

fee is 7000 yen for adults, and 5500 yen forlike shrimp flesh. Fishing for young tuna waselementary-school children (lower fees forfirst started here in Kaminokae. They weregroups). Many of the visitors come again, evensometimes got orders to catch young tuna forthough the participation fee is not so low.

an aquarium in Osaka. Kaminokae was a front

Adding to an exciting tour and delicious lunch,runner in the field of fishing technique. They

they can take the catch home, which may belanded big volumes of pike eels from April

one of the reasons they come again.

We also want other people toexperience the hardships and joys off ishing. There’s no gu arantee you’l lcatch anythi ng!
Mr. Ota ka, Cha ir per son of
Kaminokae Fisheries Co-op.

16

Yo u c an t ak e y o ur cat ch hom e.
We sat at the table, waiting in anticipation.
Bonito tataki came first. We enjoyed its
excellent quality. The pike eel clear soup,with its roe and stock made from the bonesof the pike eel, was unbelievable. The fried
pike eel was very delicately cooked. We
enjoyed the comforting texture of konbu bijin ,or processed seaweed. The onion salad wasanother delicacy. The takikomi , or Japanesestyle pilaf, tasted great, with plenty of sea
bream in it. It was cooked with stock madefrom the bones and the head of sea bream
and was flavored only with sake and soy.
"The guests say that this is the best takikomi
they’ve ever eaten, “said Otaka’s wife. She
went on to explain to us that it has been
the local delicacy for a long time around
Kaminokae. Another dish was boiled young
bonito flavored with salt, which was eatenwith bushukan , a kind of lime. A big plateof the swimming crabs we’d caught kept us
quiet for some time; we were too busy eating
to talk. However, we got very interested andasked a lot of questions when we listenedto Maestro's stories about the sea and thefishermen. We were quite full, and satisfied
with everything there. We couldn't eat all the
crabs and took the remainder home.

From the top: takikomi with sea
bream; swimming crabs; bonito
tataki and clear pike-eel soup.

"The record catch so far is 43 lobsters, caught
by a father and his high-school student son.
Of course, they brought most of them home.
You can either eat your catch here or take

17

18

them home. When you eat them here, we

could enjoy another treat, the beautiful

prepare and cook them for free. We canseascape from there. We could imagine

prepare the fish so you can cook themthe scenes of lots of children and tourists

easily at home. How much you can catch

crying for joy at the sight of the fish anddepends on luck. One day, you get a lot

crabs, and crowds of people on the beachof spiky crabs, and another day, only

giving a feeling of liveliness to this quiet

conger eels and gure fish. That’s the funport town. "The lobster fishing tour isof it," he said.

soon starting," Maestro said. We really

While we were eating at Wakashiya, wewanted to come and try the tour again.

Th e f i s h i n g t o u r m e m b e r s a t t h e t a b l e ,ta l k i n g a b o u t K a m i n o k a e a n d t h e
fis h i n g t h e r e .
While we were taking part in the tour, theladies were cooking our lunch. They werepreparing vegetables for various dishes. The
vegetables and rice used here are all grownin Kaminokae, where many people both fish
and farm. There are many greenhouses for

myoga ginger, green beans and peppers, at a little distance from theport.
"Many fishermen here have fields where they grow vegetables
when they can't fish." "It's cool that they do both." "Yes, we growpotatoes and other vegetables when we can't go to sea. But themonkeys also know when our crops are ready to eat." In the oldtimes, lobster shells used to be kept hanging under the eaves ofevery fisherman's house, for people to drink the extracted essenceof them if they got measles. It seemed to have worked. There alsohung a conch to drive away evil. If only this fishing port could thrive

The fishing tour members
at the table, talking about
Kaminokae and the fishing
there.

again, we’d love to see such scenes, we thought to ourselves.

Kaminokae Fisheries Co-op

Wakashiya

2574 Kaminokae, Nakatosa-cho, Takaoka-gun
TEL：0889-54-0111(Please make reservations at least five days in advance.)
Fishing experience course (with meals)
Period / Throughout the year
Numbers / around 3 people (negotiable)
Charge / adults 7000yen
elementary-school children 5500yenchildren under6 500yen*4-hour course Please contact us for more information. We offer
lower prices for groups.
http://Kaminokaegyokyo.blog.fc2.com/
19

Enjoy Kochi × Kikan Kochi Style
Tomato-picking Experience

Wada Farm in Tosa-cho
Nurui, in Tosa-cho, Where the terraced paddy fields spread,
We learn the depth of life in the mountains,From cuisine of wild plants and tomatoes.

20

O ur v i s i t s t art ed wi t hhomemade tom at o j ui ce.
When water fills the paddy fields and the earsof rice hang down, many people from insideand outside the prefecture gather in Nurui totake photos.
Nurui is at an altitude of 550 meters, so wefeel that the heat is softened even in thesummer. Wada Farm is located on this ground.
In the farm, we can experience picking
tomatoes, harvesting rice, and seasonal meals
are also served. Wada Farm’s tomatoes are
popular in Coop stores all over Kochi. The
quality and taste of these tomatoes are highly
valued. Just thinking of eating a tomato freshfrom the branch makes your mouth water.
On the way, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
As soon as we got there, Mr. and Mrs.
Wada, who run the farm, welcomed us withhandmade tomato juice. “I serve this tomato
juice to visitors,” Mr. Wada said. This juice ismade from only tomato, sugar, and salt. The
taste is completely different from the tomato
juice you get in the shops. So first we had asip. The juice had a natural taste. The umami
of tomato blends in and it is very drinkable.
Then we went to the greenhouse and tried
harvesting tomatoes.
It was certainly hot and humid in the21

greenhouse. Mr. Wada taught us how topick tomatoes. “Red and ripe tomatoes
easily snap off from the branch. A
delicious tomato is heavy when you haveit in your hand. You can’t tell whichtomato is delicious inform its looks
alone. Kuma highland tomatoes are themost famous in Shikoku and Tokutani
tomatoes are the sweetest. The tomato
is a summer vegetable. Tomatoes grownin the summer have good acidity, a sweet
taste and indescribable umami,” he said.
Harvesting in the greenhouse, Mr. Wada
told us the mysteries of the shape of thetomato leaf, and explained that there are
two methods of harvesting tomatoes.
“One method is to harvest them while
the fruit of the tomato is green and keep
it at normal temperature, then wait till
Mr. and Mrs. Wada, who
ser ved us homemade
tomato juice. You can’t get
it unless you come here.

the peak of perfection. The other is toharvest the tomatoes after they become
fully ripe.” We listened to him closely,with great interest.
The tomatoes at Wada Farm are of the‘Momotaro Fight’ variety, one of the‘Momotaro’ series. We learned a lot
about tomatoes while harvesting them.
It was that kind of experience.
The tomato is monitored for 24 hours.

Mr. Wada had been a dairy farmer for
30 years when he started Wada Farm,
18 years ago. He decided the change

22because further expansion of thescale of his operations was impossible
in the mountains. Additionally, he
had to contend with cattle diseases.
Antibiotics were used in many cases.
He was conscious of the impact on
the environment. “If I’m going to be amarket gardener,” he thought, “I might
as well grow the kind of tomatoes I’dwant to eat myself.”“The soil here was clayey and suited
to rice. But it wasn’t so suitable forvegetables. To build up the soil, I cut
the grass on the ridges between the rice
fields, and put it into the fields. It took
several years to improve the soil. After
3 or 4 years, I could grow something
like tomatoes. I tried to reduce theamount of fertilizer I used and to not use
agricultural chemicals. I’m monitoring
the tomatoes the whole time. It was
the same thing with dairy cows. It’s not
surprising, because they’re living things,
too. I feel that I can’t overlook even thesmallest of changes,” he said.

Tom atoes are best snappedfrom the branch,
Kept for 1 or 2 hours,
And eaten,“ That’s my experi ence,
anyway.” he said with smile.

We moved from the greenhouse for bigball tomatoes to the greenhouse for mini
tomatoes, and kept on picking them inthe same way. Their shapes and colors,
like red and yellow, were lovely. We ateand enjoyed them on the spot. After the
harvesting, Mrs. Wada served us somedishes made from wild plants.

23

T he b o un t y o f t hemo un ta in s a n d ta k in g
a mp l e t ime
M a k e s d e l ic io us f o o d
f e rme n t
M a k e s p e o pl e f e e l ha pp y.

Die ta r y fib e r tr a v e ls th e le n g tho f th e in te s tin e s .
The dishes, served in platters, werecarried to the table.

M r s . Wa d a

explained about the menu.
“Dried fiddleheads, frozen knotweed
and dried bamboo shoots are cooked
and served up on a plate. On anotherplate, there’s ginger boiled in soy
sauce, tomatoes soaked in sake lees,
julienne radish boiled in soy sauce,
bitter gourd boiled in soy sauce, whitemelon soaked in sake lees and boiled
seasonal pumpkin. The weather’s been
bad this year, so the price of vegetables
has jumped up. Though cucumbers are
expensive too, we can use them a lot for
24

The green tomatoes arepreserved in sake lees for over a
year. Mrs. Wada says that she canteach people how to soak wild
plants and make miso paste
anytime.

dressed cucumber dishes. They’re grown

The bounty of the mountains and ample

on this farm. The tomatoes are freshtime make delicious food ferment andenough. We get kon’yaku potatoes frombecome even more delicious. “I hear that

our friends and we can grow it ourselves

eating here keeps people regular,” sheas well. You can see miso paste, yuzu

said. We visitors ate our fill of wild plant

citron miso paste and garlic miso paste

dishes. We were surprised at the crunchy

over there. All of them are homemade.

texture of the Japanese knock weeds andI’ve been making these for about 35

the dried bamboo shoots. The rice wasyears, since I got married.” she said.

so delicious that we asked for seconds.

After the bitter taste is removed, theOutside the greenhouse, the color of thewild plants are seasoned. This time, itsky and the coldness of the wind tell us

took 3 days to prepare the dishes. Greenthat Tosa-cho in September is in autumn.

tomatoes pickled with sake lees are kept

The tomato-harvesting experience at

without being stirred in a special bucket

Wada farm runs from July to aroundwith sugar and salt for more than 1 year.

October (depending on how the crop25

is growing). After the harvesting
experience, you can get 1 kg of tomatoes
to take home, and you can have a mealat the farm. You can hear a lot of stories
about life in the mountains. From the
middle of October you can also have arice-harvesting experience for about
half a month. Knowing the tastiness of
the rice here, we couldn’t overlook thiseither, and we wrote down the details in
Mr. Wada at the farm26

our notebooks.

Th e p r i d e o f t h e a r e a
M rs . Wa d a ’s m i s o p a s t e .
The rice miso paste is homemade. Mr. Wada is never satisfied withshop-bought miso paste, so Mrs. Wada sticks with homemade miso
paste. She brought us a magazine called Tosajin (vol. 32, no. 2). In
it, the method for making miso paste was given in detail.
Because the homemade miso paste is delicious, yuzu citron bean
taste and garlic miso paste are made in a delicious way. “yuzucitron miso paste is made with sugar and the same amount of yuzu
citron peel. After mixing the sugar and the peel, sweet sake is put
in and it’s boiled for about one hour. Fried domestically grown garlicand sugar are mixed in with the bean taste, and then you have garlicmiso paste. People say that the taste is completely different if you
use miso paste from the shops,” she said. The garlic miso paste was
excellent. Even though it wasn’t for sale, we negotiated with Mrs.
Wada and somehow managed to buy some.
She sends processed products (such as miso paste, dried persimmons,dried potatoes, julienning radish) to her friends in batches. She gets
fresh fish, small fry, and dried fish back. She enjoys this barter.
Here, we found a true vignette of life in the mountains.

Wada Farm
474 Nurui, Tosa-cho, Tosa-gun
TEL：050-3655-3870 (Please make reservations about one week in advance.)
http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~kodawari/

Tomato-picking experience, 4-hour course (reservations required)
Period / end of July to end of OctoberTour hours / 10:00-14:00
Numbers / 4 to10 people (Please inquire in advance of numbers are over 10.)Charge/ 2800 yen, including tomato-picking experience, 1kg of tomatoes, and a meal
Joseikan (Tosakoi Tours), Ltd.
Rice-harvesting experience, 4-hour course (reservations required)
Period/ the second week of October to the end of November
Tour hours / 10:00-14:00
Numbers / 4 to10 people (Please inquire in advance of numbers are over 10.)Charge/ 2800 yen, including rice-harvesting experience and a meal (The harvested rice is sent to tour members later.)Joseikan (Tosakoi Tours), Ltd.

27

Enjoy Kochi × Kikan Kochi Style
Experience country-style sushi-making

The Guesthouse “Home of a Little River,Ogawa” in Yasuda-cho
Ogawa in Yasuda-cho has a rich natural environment and mountain foods.
The merry women living there are weaving
A tale of country-style sushi.

28

The Yasuda Ri ver and t he power o ft he local i t y.
Kikan Kochi has a relationship with
Yasuda-cho. This is because my company
has been helping to make a booklet
published by the Committee for the
Promotion of the Yasuda Dream Plan.
Also, we’ve been helping with the local
website ‘Yasuda Jikan.’ So, I have been
exploring around the town since fiveor six years ago. Taking about one hourand half’s drive along National Route 55
from Kochi City, you arrive at the centerof Yasuda-cho. You’ll see blue sky andocean, and greenhouses for horticulture;it’s a relaxing sight. Personally, myheart is always healed by the purewaters of the Yasuda River.Taking
Prefectural Route 12 from Yasuda, goingaround 20 minutes’ drive up along the
Yasuda River, you arrive at Ogawa.
There’s a guesthouse called “Home ofa Little River, Ogawa” there. It was
the auditorium of the old elementary
school and it was renovated into anaccommodation to help guests experience
rural life.We, the reporting team, aregoing to experience country-style sushimaking. In fact, it is the first time for
us to meet the instructors who are goingto teach us the sushi-making. We were29

First we started making vinegared
rice. 70 %-ripe yuzu citron juice fromthe Ogawa area was put into boiled
rice and mixed up. We went on withthe work, from making rolled sushi tolightly pressed sushi. Takenoko sushi isa kind of lightly-pressed sushi topped
with cooked bamboo shoots. One of the
instructors advised to cut more quickly
so as not to break up the shape.
Hatsumi Komatsu, themanager of “Home ofa Little River, Ogawa,”
happily agreed to do aninterview with us.

30

introduced to them through Yasuda-cho

are so excited with this sushi-making

Board of Education. A woman chopping

experience and the preparations for the

ryukyu (giant taro) greets us cheerfully

event that starts the next day. Promptly

outside the front door. We are so happy

we put on our aprons and triangular

to hear the guesthouse manager Hatsumi

headscarves, and start to make

Komatsu, who I have met before tovinegared rice. They talk to us not onlyinterview for a magazine, welcome us

about the recipes but also about things

saying “How good of you to come see

going on in the locality, and about yuzuus.” The voice of Ogawa women chatting

citron. They are all interesting. “Thereechoes through the back room.

are different areas in Yasuda-cho, so

Today’s instructors are Hatsumi Komatsu,

the taste of vinegared rice is different

Reiko Maeda, Nobue Maeda, Shizue

depending on how much yuzu citron,

Shirakawa and Masako Yokota. They

vinegar and sugar you put in. This is a

S q ue ezin g 70 %-ripe yuzu
c it ro n ,W it h it s s o urn e s s , a n d
wit h g re a t ric e a s t heprid e o f t he c o un t ry –t he s e d e f in e t he ta s te o f
c o un t ry-s t yl e s us hi.

yuzu citron- growing district here, andthe mixture. Today, we’re using baby

all the ingredients we use are got fromsardines for mackerel flakes. This is

this area. 70%-ripe yuzu citron is tarta really local recipe from this area,”and smells nice, so it’s perfect for sushi.

says Reiko Maeda. The two members

Once yuzu citron ripens completely, theyof the reporting team are busy making

become sweeter and smell different. For

vinegared rice and checking the taste,vinegared rice, you take 1.8 l of rice,as they are told. There’s nori (seaweed),

180 cc of yuzu citron juice, 90 cc ofe g g s , k e l p , myoga g i n g e r , ryukyu

vinegar, 200 g of sugar, and 30 g of salt.

(giant taro), fried tofu, bamboo shoots,

First mix up the yuzu juice, vinegar,

kon’nyaku (paste made from arum root)

sugar and salt, then add sesame, finely

on the table. While the vinegared rice ischopped ginger, and boiled baby sardines

cooling down, I ask Hatsumi Komatsu

or grilled and shredded mackerel into

about the guesthouse.

31Tr e e s mak e peopl e rel axed.

food and drink. It feels like being ina beautiful villa in the middle of the32

This guesthouse opened in the springwoods. On top of that, the fees are veryof 2005. In summer, a lot of people

reasonable: all day and night (10:00 infrom all over the country visit here.

the morning till 9:00 the next morning)

They’re mainly from the Kansai district,is 2500 yen per person. The fee foraround Osaka and the western end of

an elementary student is half-price,

Honshu generally. The centerpieceand children under 6 can stay for free.

of the attraction is a pool which local

There’s also a bedding rental service

people made by damming up the river.

costing 1000 yen per person, but it is

The guests can use it. Families andenough to sleep under a cotton blanket

groups of friends splash round in thein summer, so many people bring theirpool to their hearts’ content, and theyown blankets.

enjoy a barbecue in the garden. As the“This building was built using an awful

guesthouse has plates and barbeque

lot of timber. There are lots of children,

equipment, all you have to do is bring

and they like to lie on their backs on thetatami mats. They really enjoy staying

A r r a n g e th e m n ic e ly, o k a y ?

here. Obviously wood has a power tomake people feel relaxed, doesn’t it? The

The vinegared rice has cooled down.

children get really moved by the pool set

Now is the time to try country-styleinto the river. They play in the pool until

sushi-making. At first, a sushi roll.

just before they have to go. Even if theirNot letting the vinegared rice stick tomothers call them, they wouldn’t leave

your hands, you put both hands into

the pool (laughs). The population of thisthe stock, made from kelp and bamboo

area is getting lower – there are only 16

shoots, and then spread a handful of rice

households, and very few young people.

onto a sheet of seaweed, leaving a 2-cm

We’re delighted that many people frommargin from the far edge. It may lookother prefectures visit and enjoy thiseasy, but it’s pretty hard to do. In theplace. At the same time, the old folks

center, put down some bamboo shootsin Ogawa can get to mix with them andas a core, with carrots for coloring andcatch the energy from them.”burdocks, too. Roll it and press firmly.
This is the way we make three different

33

kinds of sushi rolls: nori rolls, egg rolls,
and kelp rolls.
Not letting the vinegared rice stick to
the mold, either, put the mold in thecooking liquid the same as you did withyour hands, and pack vinegared rice into
the mold. Pull off the mold pressing thevinegared rice. When I try to put myoga
ginger on the top, an instructor says,“Just like wings of a cicada, put themnicely along the edge.” Put crispy ryukyu(giant taro) there in the same way. For
bamboo shoots and kon’nyaku and fried
tofu, stuff them with vinegared rice.
The liquid on the palms is a little bit
sweet, bringing out the deliciousnessof vinegared rice. They make a goodcombination.
When the sushi-making was over, thenthe cutting and arranging followed
after. We cut nori rolls and kelp rolls
Our country-style sushi is ready. We made it, cut it, and arranged it.

into slices, and arranged them, using
the coloring of myoga ginger and ryukyu(giant taro) to the best advantage. Aftertaking photos, we ate our sushi with
instructors. They are all cheerful, andgreat masters of sushi. We enjoyedworking with them. We ate our fill ofcountry-style sushi and threw ourselves
down on the floor in the comfortable
space surrounded by trees.

After taking a photo with the instructors, we had a tasting party.

34

Tr e a s u r e s o f t h e a r e a
Co u n t r y -s t y l e s u s h i w a s o n s a l e a t
Fu ru s a t o -k a n
There used to be a shop named Furusato-

the staff used to start work at one or two in thekan on Prefectural Road 12, which runs

morning, to open the shop at six. Although all the

between Yasuda-cho and Umaji-mura. Eightstaff have got old and they had to close the shop

people around 60 used to sell country-styleitself, their skills have never been lost; you cansushi, sweet buns, rice cakes, and red beans

witness them at “Home of a Little River, Ogawa”

rice there. “I used to open the shop at six.

“Rice from the Ogawa area is really good. That’sPeople going to work or going to Umaji-

why children love it. If you eat it as a plain rice

mura would often buy them,” says one ofball with no filling, you’ll find it’s true,” says

the instructors, a former staff, looking backKomatsu. Anyone can see that all the instructors

the past. ‘Direct-sales store’ and ‘local-

have love and pride for the Ogawa area. I wish

products shops’ are now very popular, andthem all the best from now on as they deal with

Yasuda-cho was an early pioneer in thisthe future as it arises, and protect the natural

field. ‘The best-selling product was country-

beauty of the area.

style sushi, which tastes just the same as it
does at the Ogawa guesthouse. Surprisingly,“Home of a Little River, Ogawa”
52-1 Ogawa, Yasuda-cho, Aki-gun
TEL：0887-38-5711 (Yasuda-cho Board of Education)
http://www.kochinet.ed.jp/yasuda-t/sub7.html

Country-style sushi-making experience
Period / all year round (except late October and early December)
Numbers / around 5 people (negotiable)
Other programs are on offer / country-style rice-cake making, steamed sweet bun making,kon’nyaku (paste made from arum root) making, etc.
(*Please make reservations one week in advance.)
Rates per person
All day and night (10:00 – 9:00 the next day) 2500yen
Daytime (10:00 – 16:00) 500yen
Overnight (16:00 – 9:00 the next day) ￥2000yen
50% discount for elementary-school children.
Children under 6 join for free.
*Apply to Yasuda-cho Board of Education for further details.
35

Keiko Toda, Actress and Singer
Interview by Yoshihiro Nonami

Giant Interview 0037
36

Keiko Toda is an actress, voice actress, singer, emcee and essayist
This is an interview with her after she gave a lecture at Kochi Summer College.
She talked about her work, her future and her relationship with Takashi Yanase,
who was a famous anime writer from Kochi. She answered our questions sopolitely and sincerely that we became her fans instantly.

I’m delighted to do all the work I can get.
Though you have a strong image as a stage and movie actress, you’re also a singer, voice
actress, emcee on NHK programs, and essayist. How can you be so energetic?
Actually, I'm not energetic at all. I’m losing my physical strength as I get older. I just try
my very best to be like that, because my job is to cheer up other people. I just pretend
to be full of energy. Thanks to the many chances I'm getting right now, I can keep
myself lively because I want to do all the work I can. I'd get lazy and lose my healthwith nothing to do, which isn’t a very welcoming prospect.
Do you do anything special about your health, like your diet, as an actress?
Well, if I don’t take care of my health, nobody else will, so I've started eating more
vegetables recently. That’s partly because people around me noticed that I was
always eating out or eating bentos on location, so they said I should. And I go to bed
incredibly early because I easily get tired.
How do you refresh yourself? Can you find any time for diversion in your busy life?
I eat and drink with my close friends. Going out to see a live show, like rakugo comic
storytelling or plays, is what I like the best.
In your lecture today, titled “Actress of All Trades”, or “Department Store Actress”, you talked
about your long career. Now you’re doing various kinds of work in many fields, which isvalued highly nowadays. When you were young, however, the situation was a little different,
wasn't it?
When we were young, doing many things at the same time wasn’t accepted so well.
People thought it was wonderful to devote yourself to one thing, acting, for example.
But even back then I was trying lots of different things, so sometimes I was criticized37

quite a lot as being “somehow lacking in class.” So then I just got annoyed with people,
and I used to go “Just tell I’m lacking. Because whatever it is I’m lacking, class isn’t it!”(laughs).
You are great trying to do any job you’re asked.
As I said in my lecture, I try to answer any call if I think I can be of any use to someone.
I make it a rule to do any job I can. "Please come and give a lecture." "I’ve never done
that." "Just talk freely about your life and your way of thinking. Many kindergarten
teachers want to listen to your story." "Okay, if my little story will be of any use toanyone." So, I take on the job. I'm happy to be wanted and to be able to go out anddo it. That’s like Takashi Yanase. That’s what he did. So, I work like a department store
manages its shops. You open one here, you open one there, but if the customers aren’t
buying you, just close down the whole floor. But as long as you’re running a shop in
the first place, you want to be running the kind of place that people actually wantto come to. You need to do your research and PR to make that happen. That’s how I
operate.”What are the good and bad points about your work as a performer?
The difficult part is that I have to take control of my own time; I have to make time
to memorize the lines for the shoot next day, however long it takes, for example. I
spend a lot of time preparing for my performances; at home or in the car, I’m always
reading materials for TV programs where I have to talk to the guests. Anyway, I need a
lot of time for "input". Making good use of my time is the most important and the mostdifficult thing.
The work of performing is thrilling and makes me most happy. I really enjoy talking
with my guests on my programs, "Studio Park," for example. I know that the better I’ve
prepared, the more I can enjoy it.
I’ve so many "departments" that I have to be well prepared for that I feel exhausted
now and then. You need physical strength to memorize lines. Balancing work andrest is an important factor. I'm always thinking about how I can make good use of mylimited time and limited physical strength.
Having your name in lights for a long time is a very difficult thing. Finding mentors to lead
you must be essential, I suppose. You mentioned the names, Mitani and Takashi Yanase
today.
Even if we meet people like that, sometimes we don't notice the importance ofmeeting them at the time. We have to be prepared for meeting people like that. We
have to be curious and excited about the things around us. But there’s no point ingetting carried away. It’s all about timing or destiny, after all. If you just really go for it,
you’re bound to run into something good.

38

Profile: Keiko Toda

From Aichi Prefecture; belonged to NHK Nagoya’s Children’s
Theater Company. Debuted as a singer in 1974. Joined the theater company "Baraza"in 1977, playing starring roles until 1989. Has acted in various plays TV dramas andmovies directed by Koki Mitani. Voiced the character Anpanman in the Anpanman
anime series, and has voiced characters for many Western movies. Active as a singer,
with an album released just recently.

Oranges are delicious in Kochi.

What’s your impression of Kochi?
The people are nice and the fruit is delicious. Maybe it depends on the season, but I
feel I’m in a tropical city instantly after landing. Kochi people are pretty strong-headed,or rather warmhearted. They’re very friendly and really hospitable. I’ve been feelingthat way since I first came to Kochi. I love buntan , local grapefruit here. They’re sodelicious I bought some to take them home when I came last time in April. Fruits likeoranges are good here and the fish is really nice. I once took the local line, the NahariLine, when I visited Takashi Yanase's birthplace. I loved the view from the train. It was
beautiful and relaxing.Takashi Yanase had created a mascot for each station. I could see
his mascots at each station. When I went to his funeral at his birthplace, I was enviousthat he had such a wonderful home town.
I’ve visited Takashi Yanase's studio several times for my magazine articles.

39Just after he passed away, his coffin was placed in the corner of his studio. His ashes
were there until the burial. We got together at his studio to be near to him, taking
advantage of his memorial ceremonies, on the seventh day, the thirty-fifth day andthe forty-ninth day after his death. We missed him; we often wined and dined,
remembering him and talking about him there. We wanted his ashes there a little bit
longer but he had wanted to be buried in his hometown.
Everyone hopes his Anpanman anime will continue for a long time.
I really hope so. There’s a large group of staff who’ve kept his spirit of "Takashi
Yanaseism" going.They’ll make sure his anime continues forever, I bet.

The luxurious moments when I turn into a camera.

From now on, do you have any area you actively want to work in?
I want to sing.
You started as a singer, right?
Yes. I want to have more time only for singing. Of course, I want to be in a musical aswell.
Do you feel any difference in your attitude toward singing, technically or mentally, compared
to when you were in your teens?
At that time, I just wanted to become a singer, and after I got the chance to make a
debut, I recorded a single, which didn't sell at all. I blamed other people for the failure,
not myself.
Now, some people rate me as a performer. I can say things are a bit better for me as asinger, compared to when I first started singing. There are, some difficult points, all thesame. It’s very difficult to get my songs out there, because there are a lot of excellent
singers who’ve had long careers as professionals. I don't want people think I’m notserious about singing. So I’m keeping searching for the best way to go, and doing any
kinds of gigs and shows I can. I had a song released recently. It's a duet with BrotherTom, called "Koi ni Oborete", or " Falling in Love". Now I'm looking for something
exciting to do next.
Lastly, do you have any message for your fans?
I want lots of people to come and see our live performances. I know that tickets are40

very expensive in Japan but they’re very special and worth the money.
Live performances make the audience feel happy and satisfied, don't they?
That's true. It's like you become a camera, zooming in to see just one player andzooming out to see the whole stage. It's a very luxurious moment. The players and theaudience share the same time and space. The same experience will never be repeated:
you’ll never get to see the same performance, even on the next day. Where you sit or
who you are with in the theatre also affects how you feel. In other parts of the world,
they have a strong culture of theatre going. Children as well as grown-ups often go
to the theatre. The situation is not the same in Japan. I’d like more Japanese people
to go to the theatre and enjoy live performances. The other day, I went to a rakugo
storytelling performance to see Shinosuke. I was really impressed and felt I wasenjoying something luxurious. You can't get that feeling when you are watching TV. I
want to enjoy moments like that at least once every few months.
Thank you very much.

This interview was held just after her lecture
at "Kochi Summer College" (with the cooperation of Kochi City Culture Promotion
Foundation)

41

Jockey Yutaka Take × Yosakoi Horseracing Festival
Visiting Kochi Racetrack,
the JRA Super Jockey Yutaka Take,
was welcomed with a big cheer.

SPECIAL INTERVIEW
42

Holding an unmatched record of success in horseracing, the super jockey Yutaka
Take came to Kochi Racetrack as a guest at the 5th Yosakoi Horseracing Festival on
July 21. He tried quizzes with his fans and did a talk show with Fuji TV announcer
Naohide Fukuhara. The show was hosted by Koji Hashiguchi, race-by-race
announcer. After that, they held a joint press conference.
Take participates in the Yosakoi Horseracing Festival every year. He interacts withfans and works hard to promote Kochi horseracing. As a jockey, he takes local
racing seriously. “I’m a jockey, so it’s a matter of course for me to go to a racetrack
if they want me to race. Then it’s a win-or-lose situation. I think that horseracing istougher in the local racing than in the national racing. I hope I can make a usefulcontribution as a horseman. It’s my pleasure to help push regional horseracing
forward,” he said. He’s friendly with the local jockeys in Kochi. That’s why heconstantly mentions the names of jockeys like Shuji Akaoka, Mai Beppu. “We really
get on together. The atmosphere’s very comfortable. Whenever I come here to haveraces, I feel everyone’s so great. We all get along really well,” he smiled.
He has a lot of races throughout the year (local races, races in national racing,
local exchange races, and races abroad). We asked him how he maintains the best
physical condition. He answered simply, “Nothing special. In fact, I feel that trying
to do some special regime or something might just get in the way. Horseracing’s
my job, so I just stick with it.” With regard to his injury in falling from a horse, hesaid “I’m really trying not to beat myself up too much about this. I’m fully focusedon getting back to racing as quickly as I can. I’m only thinking about the future. I
have positive thinking when it comes to bad luck. If you get injured or something,
you just have to roll with it and keep going. I’m looking forward to getting back toracing. The most important thing is to develop as a jockey.” Speaking to the local
fans, “Kochi Racetrack” he added “is the only racetrack in Shikoku, so we have tokeep it running smoothly. It should be developed more. I think we all have things
we need to think about in that regard. And I really want a lot of people who don’tknow about horseracing to come and discover how much fun it is, and what awonderful sport it really is.”43Profile: Yutaka Take
Born in 1969 in Shiga, Member of the Japan Racing Association (JR A)
First raced in1987
He has built up a lot of brilliant records and still keeps breaking evenhis ow n r ecor ds. He ha s had 3,6 0 0 c ar e er v ic tor ies a s of Januar y,
2014, and he’s still winning races and set ting records.

During the talk show and the press conference, Take shared his memories of theBlack Ships Prize (awarded at Kochi, and one of Japan’s major horseracing awards).
He also had fond memories of Haruurara (a much-loved local racehorse who
galloped with the greatest enthusiasm from one defeat to another). He really loves
Kochi horseracing. We’d be delighted to hear his thoughts in full in an exclusive
interview if we have a chance to later.
There are night races in Kochi throughout the year now. They’ve begun to sell local
betting slips and GI (grade 1) slips issued by the Japan Racing Association, too. Now,
Kochi horseracing has fans of all generations.
We would like to thank all the owners, trainers, stable keepers, jockeys and staff
involved in Kochi horseracing for their passion and hard work.
The interview was held at Kochi Racetrack on July 21, after the 5th Yosakoi Horseracing Festival.
This interview was conducted with the co-operation of the Kochi Horseracing Association.

44

037
[ futon ]I am a comforter.

[ A problem of description ][ The double roll ]I love tubular fish sausage
and cucumber.

ritten inName w look stupid;naemhiragato see th e
I’ d like
Chines
in
en
tt
wri
ters.
characTubular Fish Sausage

Plop!

Cucumber

CC
hh
ew
ch
ew
uu
ch
mm
ber
ber
?

Okay, see you later.

No, no…
Looks like he did
the double rollbefore this cartoon started.

45

An Extra by Yukinori Dehara© DEHARA YUKINORI

46

第一回
Episode 1 Dorome Festival in Akaoka
If I am to write something in a magazine published in Kochi, I should write something aboutsake. Even though I might be still treated as a newbie drinker in a place like Kochi that has
produced so many drunks, I think it's time I promoted myself to say something because I
have been drinking legally for no less than 20 years.
This time I'd like to talk about a famous drinking festival called Doromematsuri held in
Akaoka, which I participated in twice. To explain this festival, I always say “This is the only
festival in Japan that chugalug is permitted as a main activity.
When I was a college student, I often heard someone shout, “Hey! Let's go chugalug a mug!”
at izakaya or pubs. Then everyone started to pour beer, strange-colored chuhai or Japaneseshochu highball into their mouth and swallowed with one breath. When they got carried
away, some put various things like soy sauce, vinegar and even sushi into mugs. Others
might chugalug a big bottle. In such cases, it could cause damage to the body or brain. I
saw many drunks throw up and the pubs got dirty with vomit. After people were killed orseriously damaged by this drinking activity, chugalug gradually died down among students
and salaried workers. I missed it a bit but c'est la vie .
It's crazy that people compete in public over how quickly they can drink, how easily they canswallow, and how elegantly or even attractively they can gulp. It's funny that the audience
is as drunk as the participants. In fact, when I was not on the stage, I shouted whatever I
liked, such as “You are too slow!” “You are losing!” and “I'll do that for you!” I felt great. The
drinkers are fools. The watchers are fools. It's something like everyone joins a huge feast
on the beach. There's nothing more entertaining than chugalug. Since a huge bowl is used
to swallow sake, it may seem dangerous, but actually it's not because the organizer always
makes sure that all participants have medical check up by doctors it provides. Besides they
are to throw up alcohol they gulp at the beach behind the stage. I felt very dizzy after I
gulped sake on the stage, yet I still can't forget how beautifully the ocean was sparklingwhile I threw up “Toyo-no-umi”, a local superior brand of sake.
Yes, this sake is offered to the gods. This is literally a festival to show appreciation to theocean by enjoying eating “dorome ”, fresh baby sardines.
*Nowadays the organizer of this festival provides participants with private rooms to throw up sake.

Yukinori Dehara
Born in 1974 on the shore of fishing bonitos, grew up with beer. Produces 300
original figures a year, drinks 300 liters beer a year. Have been involved inadvertisement works with Nike, NEC, Tower Records, ASICS Europe …. Createdoriginal characters of Kinoyama-san (2008), chocolate snacks from Japanese
confectioner company Meiji Co., Ltd. Have been Kankotaishi , ambassador forsightseeing for Kochi prefecture.

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A Message from a Man Living in the 47th prefecture

Designing Your Way of Thinking

Makoto Umebara

Designer
Visiting Professor, Musashino Art University

Episode 8: Products from a Down-Home Kitchen

Tw o par c el s w rapped i n one cl ot hThis was the time when the phrase ‘primary and half industry’ appeared and many villages
started to make products in as part of the One Village One Product (OVOP) movement. One
day during the rainy season, two ladies named Nishi and Yokota showed up for a consultation
with Kochi Agricultural Development and Extension Association (KDEA), an agency of Kochi
Prefectural government. They dumped two heavy parcels wrapped in one cloth on the table. I
unwrapped the parcels and inside them I found thousands of A3-sized sheets of paper, folded
in half. They looked like recipes, with the name of the dish, the ingredients, and instructions
on making and eating them. When I asked them what these materials were, the two ladies
answered that they were questionnaires taken in twelve different locations by the Life andLivelihood Division of KDEA. They had surveyed Kochi cuisine, focusing on recipes. “Couldn’t
you find some way to make a book using this?” was what they wanted to know.
After they left, I divided the slips of paper according to the ingredients: myoga ginger,
eggplant, itadori (mountain plants) and so on. That made any number of mountains of little slips.
I tried dividing them into five: spring, summer, autumn, winter and all year round. Even taking
the same ingredient, each of the three regions of Kochi (west, middle and east) has a different
way of eating it. So I sorted them out by ingredient, but also separated each ingredient by thethree regions of west, middle and east.
H ow about s om e t ea?
In my first interview, I covered kokera -sushi in Toyo-cho. They made me some dishes and I took
the photos. After everything was done, a woman said to me, “Mr. Photo-shop, (laugh) How
about some tea?” While eating with the ladies, I got really excited to discover that their stories
48

The Taste of Tosa : a Down-Home Kitchen
Publisher/ Kochi Agricultural Development andExtension Association
A5 280pp; first edition / March, 1987

Vinegared ryukyu (giant taro)(Kochi City)A special feature of summer. Indispensablefor the Kochi summer.

Kokera-sushi (Toyo-cho)Some people made 18 liters of sushi at one
time. Carrot leaves are popular as a garnish.
Some even grow carrots for kokera.

Chun beans (Onomi-mura)Put piping-hot roasted soy beans into the soy
sauce. It makes the sound ‘chun’. Both thename and the preparation are so easy.

49were so interesting. Originally this book was just for recipes, but I couldn’t resist recordingthese interesting tales. Finally I put in a feature panel called “How about Some Tea?” – though
nobody had actually asked me to.
There is a small house on the top of a mountain in Otoyo. It takes one hour for the elementary
school kids to walk to school. I came across an event called “Wakamizu Mukae” there. On
the morning of New Year’s Day, nobody should get up until the head of the house gets up andprepares wakamizu , the first-drawn water of the year. The head of the house goes to the water
source with a pail and ladle and brings the water home. Then the head of the house claps hishands and everybody gets up. After rinsing out their mouths with the water first, they give
their New Year’s greetings to one another. Through the ritual and spirit that remained inthis little house, I imagined the long history that the people here have lived through. It is theJapanese heart that I saw there.
I went to the farthest corners of Kochi Prefecture to get more material: a house deep in themountains, a fishing village and so on. I walked around searching all over pretty small areas in
the region and ate up two hundred and fifty dishes of local cuisine. Every area has an ancient
event and I heard in detail about the festive cuisine relating to the event. Visiting lots ofregions and eating huge amounts of local cuisine, I thoroughly studied my home prefecture of
Kochi. It was a deeply meaningful project for me.
A br i de’s t r ous seau
I started doing the research in August and finished the following March. Physically, I felt likeI’d done a two-year project in six months. Because of the small budget, I went everywhere
myself and listened to everyone. I asked Nobuyuki Takahashi, a famous photographer, to takespecial photos but in many cases I took photos myself. I did the illustrations, bookbinding, andcompositing, too. At that time compositing was not digital but photo-composition. When reediting, I actually had to cut and paste (laughs). I kept working until the morning for months.
When I found a dull space on the page, I directly drew a picture in it without a draft. I had nostrength left when the book was completed. That’s why I love the book. Tosa no Aji, Furusato

no Daidokoro (The Taste of Tosa: a Down-Home Kitchen) was published and many people were gladof that. I think the people at KDEA might recognize the power of editing and design a little.
The first edition of this book came out in thirteen thousand copies over three print runs, butthey sold out immediately. I had inquiries about the book from everywhere around, even still
now: “How can I get a copy?” What pleased me was that young people were interested in thebook. I thought young people wouldn’t like a book like this, but they know that somethingimportant lies between its pages. A Down-Home Kitchen is often part of a bride’s trousseau
these days.
50Kashikiri rice cakeoak nuts(Aki City)(Aki City)

mushrooms

Oboro rice cake(Ino-cho)(Nankoku City)

Treading chowder clams

Bokkake fish soup(Tosashimizu City)(Otsuki-cho)Japanese pepper rice cakechestnut rice with millet(Sakawa-cho)(Motoyama-cho)doradowild thistles(Toyo-cho)(Tosashimizu City)

51

Four chefs are cooking skillfully and efficiently. From left, Nakayama of Restaurant TOYO, his staff, Mizuguchi, Nomoto of
Kunitoraya France, and Okabayashi of Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme. Nakayama's mother also from Kochi came with him. I was
surprised to hear that she came back to Kochi for the first time in 30 years!

Japanese chefs working in Parisand their cooking camp
at a campsite in Shimanto

Hot chefs get together in hot Shimanto
Makoto Umebara, a well-known and familiar designer of our magazine, informed
us that his friends, Japanese chefs living in Paris, would visit Shimanto in August to
enjoy their vacation with their families and their buddies. He also suggested that weshould get together with them at a campsite along on Shimanto River. We jumped
at his invitation because we were sure it would be a gourmet experience withdelicious food prepared by professional chefs. As we expected, it was a great “bonjour”
encounter between chefs and local produce and fish of Kochi.
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53

A t a b i s t ro i n P a r i s
How about going camping in Shimanto?

It started at a bistro in Paris two years ago. Camping in Shimanto was suggested by Masafumi
Nomoto from Yasu-cho in Konan City. He opened the first udon-Japanese noodle restaurant
Kunitoraya France, in Paris and it is now very popular among the French.
“It took two years to realize my dream. I love Kochi and the wonderful locally grown produce
and fish. The reason I suggested camping in Shimanto was that I wanted my friends in Paristo experience the local foods,” he said. That is why Umebara who knows him very well
volunteered as a guide.
The profile of those chefs

The 25 participants included chefs, sommeliers, their families and friends and Nomoto on a
2-day trip starting on August 4. Toyomitsu Nakayama, who runs Restaurant TOYO in Paris,
once worked as a personal chef of Kenzo Takada, a well-known fashion designer. Mizuguchi, achef working at Restaurant TOYO, also joined this trip.
Ai Okabayashi from Kochi City, has been working at a restaurant of the famous Park Hyatt
Paris Vendôme for 10 years. Keiichiro Miyagawa is a sommelier and importer of sake in Paris.
Other participants from France were Ryuzo Nakata, a fashion designer and drinking buddy,
and Jun Aoki, who works for a French insurance company. Masahiro Yamashita from Japan
also joined this camp. He works for a shochu liquor company in Kagoshima prefecture.

54

55

A cookhouse became an open kitchen

On our way to Shimanto, we stopped at a famous Taisho-cho market in Kure, Nakatosa-cho
to buy fresh bonitos and gure fish. Kochi produces some vegetables not widely eaten such as

itadori (a kind of wild grass), ryukyu (stems of the taro plant), bushukan (local citrus) and soon. The chefs outside Kochi were very curious about them. Unfortunately Shimanto River was
swollen due to heavy rain. At the last minute, we changed the camp at Wel-come, a caravansite at Taisho in Shimanto-cho. We did not succumb to the bad weather or the bad conditions.
As soon as we got there, we started to prepare the food. By moving tables into the center,we could turn a cookhouse at the caravan site into an island kitchen. We got to work together
with chef Nakayama as the chief. Everyone including the children tried to find something they
could do to help. We made a fire with wood and charcoal and as for cooking. we used big pots
and hagama (broad-brimmed cooking pots for rice).
It was amazing to see how skillfully and quickly they were making dishes one after another,roasting the surface of the bonitos lightly, pouring the sauce made from bushukan citrus andtomatoes, marinating gure fish, broiling beef in thick salt crust and so on. I was excited andfascinated to watch the proceedings.

56

Local Kochi sake was served with dinner.
Sommelier Miyagawa said, “Japanese sake isvery popular in France. Sake is fermented
like wine, so we serve it in a wine glass.
If we want sake to become more popularabroad, brewers will have to make it elegant
and unique. I want Kochi brewers to createa unique aroma and taste.” I think this is an
important message for brewers in Kochi.

57

The dinner party started at 6:00pm with the children serving dishes under the direction ofSommelier Miyagawa. Locals from Okamisan ichi, a farmer's market, and such were invited.
The children were really working hard to entertain the adults by taking orders, bringing foodand clearing the tables. The dishes were brought one after another at moderate intervals. In
France, I heard, dishes keep coming late into the night at parties and restaurants.
“We had never thought of such fancy ways to eat the ordinary ingredients we cook every day.
The scales fell from my eyes. We should not forget the taste so that we can cook the samethings at home.” said the local guests excitedly. We had a delicious and comfortable time inthe countryside of Shimanto.
A close tie with homeland Kochi while living in Paris

After this cooking camp, Ai Okabayashi said happily, “After all, vegetables and fish in Kochi
are the best in the world. I was very happy to see the wonderful Kochi produce and fish ina new light. I was also happy that people from outside of Kochi had a chance to know how
nice Kochi people are. This is my homeland and I am always proud of it. Even though I live inFrance now, I am still hachikin , a very independent hard-working Kochi woman.” Okabayashi
uses tosazu , a mixture of vinegar, sugar, salt and soup made from bonito when she cooks
French cuisine.

58

59

Inviting some local people as guests, we started our camp dinner with a toast. The chefs
provided 15 dishes such as gure fish carpaccio, marinated local Shimanto pork seasoned
with shiokoji (traditional fermented seasoning like miso), a creative cuisine by TOYO,
stir-fried pork with itadori and garlic, and Japanese soup with gure fish and ryukyu.
Shouts of joy were heard as each dish was served.

“We use myoga (Japanese ginger), sansho (Japanese pepper) and shishito (a variety of green
pepper) grown in Kochi at our udon restaurant in Paris. I want to use as many Kochi products
as I can. I would like to introduce Kochi all over the world. I also have a wish to introduce“dashi”, a Japanese soup stock, using katsuobushi (dried bonito) and sodabushi (dried soda
bonito). This time we had a difficulty getting ingredients because of the bad weather, but I
was lucky enough to get Shimanto chestnuts and kaorimai (special brand of rice with nicearoma). The next time, I would like to invite more chefs to experience foods from Kochi,”Nomoto said.
I'm looking forward to joining the next kitchen camp!

60

Aoki was here as a drinking buddy. “There arealways Japanese chefs at well-known restaurants in
Paris.The Japanese are very skilled and have a good
sense of taste. In addition they are determined torealize their dreams in Paris. I'm always inspiredby Nomoto and Nakayama because of the strengthand determination to succeed in their profession
so far away from their homeland,” he said.

61

How to use it$¥

Requirements
1. Over 18 years old
2. Japanese Driver's License or
3. International Driving Permit (IDP)

1. access “DoSPOT-FREE” on device
2. open browser
Kind of a currency
3. accept “use policy”
4. input your mail-address
handling
5. receive a message
Shikoku Bank : USD, CAD, GBP, HHF, AUD, 6. input “authentication code”
NZD, HKD, DKK, NOK,
7. it’ s available !
Kochi Bank :Ehime Bank :Mizuho Bank :15 min / once, 4th / day
Network: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n
Kochi Prefectural
PoliceHeadquarters

Josei ParkJapan
Post Bankank
can usevarious cards

In japan, there’re more than 26,000
Japan Post Bank ATMs available inlocal Post Office, shopping center andstation. You can draw Japanese Yen
in cash by a card published abroad.
“VISA, VISAELECTRON, PLUS,
MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus,
American Express, Diners Club, JCB,
China Unionpay , DISCOVER”

can be made by credit card or
sometimes by cash

Notice

SEK, SGD, EUR, KRW

USD
USD
USD, CAD, GBP, AUD,
EUR,SGD, HKD

Payment

Kochi Castle

Marunouchi
High School

Kochi
Literary
Museum

Kochi
Prefectural
Government

http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/ias/en_ias_index.html(link at International ATM Service-JAPAN POST BANK)You can also use any of several Japanbank cards which have partnerships
with Japan Post Bank.

http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/access/access_atmcd.html(link at Japan bank instituion of partnership POST BANK)

NoticeSome Maestro cards with IC chips
are temporarily unable to makewithdrawals at all ATMs locatedin Japan.

62

OtemaeHigh Scho

Kochi
Prefectural
Library

Kochi
Daijingu
shrineKochi City HallATM
Kencho-mae
Tram Stop

Kochi International
Association

HiromeMarketObiyamachi P
Kochi Honmachi

Kochijo-mae
Tram Stop

Ohashi-doriTram StopKochi
Station
Kochi Eki-mae
Tram Stop

Kochi
Police Station
Toyota Rent a Car

Orix Rent a Car
Nissan Rent a Car

Kochibashi
Tram Stop
Times Car Rental

Joto Parkool

Nippon Rent a Car

Otesuji Street
OtemaePark

Hasuikemachi-doriTram Stop

Obiyamachi Street
Police Box

Park

Chuo Park
Horizume
Tram Stop

Daimaru
Department
Store
East Bld.

Kochi Harimaya
Harimayabashi
Elementary
SchoolHarimayabashi
Harimayabashi
Tram Stop
Dentetsu Terminal
Bld. Tram Stop

63