ibuki magazine vol.04 maarch & april 2010

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The New Wave of

March & April 2010 Vol. 04 Seattle / Bellevue / Portland

J-POPSAKURA-con Seattle’s J-Pop Lovefest

FINAL FANTASY XIII, Dragon BallShonen Jump and more

Visit JapanThis Summer’s Destination

SakeJ Recipe

Dine Out

Cover image:©2009 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA.

www.ibukimagazine.com 3

Published byAxia Media Group, Inc.Bellevue, WA 98005

Comments and general [email protected] [email protected]

CONTENTS

IBUKI Magazine Vol.04 Maarch & April 2010

21

4

FEATURE

4 The New Wave of J-Pop Japanese pop culture, from manga to fashion to anmated films, has a firm grip on the imagination of American youth.

EAT & DRINK

12 Restaurant Directory 15 IBUKI Map 18 Recipes Spinach Salad with Seasoned Mashed Tofu: Shiraae Cutlet curry

20 The Saké Story Regions play a vital role in saké brewing.

LIFESTYLE

16 Store & School Directory Japanese Confectionery21 Visit Japan Choose from an array of attractive packages for summer travel. 24 i fart rainbow25 Trend The demands of modern marriage keep singles busy day and night.26 Movies: 20th Century Boys Music: Dazzle Vision & High and Mighty Color

Gadget: OxyfitCar: MAZDA2

28 Local News and Events

Contributing Writers & ArtistsEnfu (Ken Taya)Johnnie Stroud (Saké Nomi)Julian WatersMasami SuzukiSpecial ThanksChin Music Press

PublisherMisa MurohashiChief Operating OfficerEnglish CartierEditor-in-ChiefBruce RutledgeEditor and TranslatorYuko EnomotoAssistant DesignerMaria Brown

4 息吹 ibuki • March / april 2010

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息吹 iBUKi_FEaTUrE arTiclE:

The New Wave of J-Pop

The New Wave of J-PopBy Bruce Rutledge

hat started a quarter century ago as a quirky Japanese subculture that featured otaku collectors, a

couple of classic animated films and some well-drawn comic books has swelled into a global pop phenomenon that no longer belongs to Japan alone. Americans have embraced Japanese film and manga and created their own unique subcultures to indulge in them. American businesses have stoked the trend by releasing manga in translation ands subtitled films. Asian economies are getting in on the trend too, with more anime created in South Korea and Taiwan. While J-pop spreads across borders and seeps into other cultures, it retains a certain exotic otherness that appeals to North Americans looking for something besides the typical Hollywood fare. Parents push Hayao Miyazaki DVDs on their kids like a lit professor pushes Shakespeare. Teenagers look to Tokyo as a fashion mecca. Haruki Murakami sells books to Americans at an unprecedented pace for a Japanese novelist. At a certain level, Japan fascinates Americans. “Due to the conditions of their development in postwar Japan, anime and manga offer a unique entertainment experience,” says Patrick W. Galbraith, 27, author of The Otaku Encyclopedia. “Part of the appeal for fans outside of Japan is to explore and enjoy these different entertainment worlds.”While 20th Century Japanese powerhouses

such as Toyota Motor Co. and Japan Airlines Co. falter, 21st Century companies such as Studio Ghibli, producer of Miyazaki’s films, Nintendo Co. and video-game maker Square Enix Co. are reaching their peak. When these companies release new movies or games, there is a frenzy in the marketplace, chatter on the Internet and long lines in front of stores and theaters. On the first weekend of April, as many as 18,000 people — most of them in costume — will descend on downtown Seattle to celebrate their love for Japanese pop culture at Sakura-Con, a festival that has been growing at a rapid rate since its inception in the late 1990s. Sakura-Con is one of many J-pop festivals held in cities across the US.“Fans of anime and manga outside of Japan tend to get very involved and serious about their hobbies, which inspire and excite them,” Galbraith says. “That anime and manga originated in a different cultural context reinforces intense feelings of subcultural belonging. The convention is where fans can get together among like-minded individuals and indulge in subcultural identity and interactions. They tend to be very creative and expressive because this is where they can openly show their interests and expect affirmation from others. There is a real sense of community, which supports a participatory culture.”These communities of J-pop fans in North America are something the Japanese producers of anime and manga never envisioned. It has

taken a layer of cultural interpreters in the American business community — Viz Media LLC and FUNimation Productions Ltd. are two of the most influential — to figure out how to turn the American J-pop obsession into a moneymaking venture. Viz Media launched the English version of Shonen Jump (see page 9) and its affiliate company, Viz Pictures, was behind the opening of a J-Pop center called New People in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown last year. FUNimation is responsible for bringing anime hits such as the Dragon Ball series (page 8) and Full Metal Alchemist to US shores. These companies have become the bridges between American fans and Japanese studios and publishers.Seattle is deeply connected to this J-pop phenomenon because of its role as a hub of video-game development and its growing legions of J-pop fans, as seen by the ever-increasing turnstile totals at Sakura-Con. As the J-pop phenomenon continues to grow and mix with other cultures, expect Seattle to be very involved.


©2009 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA.

<< Lightning is the heroine of the newest installment of the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XIII, which was released on March 9 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.




Sakura-Con Seattle’s J-Pop Lovefest

Every year on one spring weekend, aliens take over downtown Seattle. Or so it seems to the unwitting shoppers and passers-by who wonder why crowds of

cosplay kids dressed as samurai, ninja, video game characters and superheroes seem to be on every street corner and in every restaurant. They’re here to celebrate Japanese pop culture, and they come from as far as Alaska, Idaho and Montana to attend Sakura-Con, the biggest celebration of anime and manga in the Pacific Northwest and one of the biggest anime conventions in the US if not the world.The level of devotion these convention-goers show will stun the unini-tiated. College kids spend hundreds of hours on elaborate costumes; high-schoolers make professional-quality video mashups of their favor-ite anime characters and songs (copyright law be damned!), and young adults who have never set foot in Japan will talk your ear off about Japa-nese doujinshi (independently published magazines, kind of like zines) or an esoteric subsection of romantic manga. It’s like Revenge of the Nerds remade by Lady Gaga but with subtitles.The phenomenon of anime and manga conventions took off in the last decade. The country is dotted with these get-togethers, from Baltimore to Portland, Anchorage to Miami, and most of them started as little gatherings of friends who shared a love of Japanese animated films. Sakura-Con started as BakaCon (Idiots’ Convention), a humble group of avid anime fans who decided to have an annual gathering back in 1998. This year, the 12th Sakura-Con expects to draw about 18,000 to the April 2-4 cel-ebration at the Washington Convention Center. So what’s the attraction? Are Japan’s animated films and manga comic books that much better than anything we have to offer in the US?“You see all these kids,” says Meg Uhde of Portland, OR, during a busy moment at a previous Sakura-Con. She motions towards swarms of peo-ple dressed as robots, French maids, women in miniskirts and mouse ears, masked warriors, even a blonde ninja. “This is where they come to be themselves and no one will judge them. And more and more and

more of these kids are finding that is true. These are your gamers; these are your lovers of anime; these are people who would be os-tracized in any other situation, and they get to come here dressed in fantastic costumes that they made on their own, be surrounded by people who are not going to say, ‘You’re a freak,’ they’re going to say, ‘That is amazing! How long did that take you?’ It’s becoming more popular because people are finding community in it.”The community building around these conventions does not seem to be tapering off. On the contrary, it continues to grow.“The event continues to grow but not at the explosive rate of 75% we experienced in the past,” says Mira Utz, director of publicity for Asia Northwest Cultural Education Associa-tion/Sakura-Con. “From 2007 to 2009 the rate slowed to about 30% per year, which is still pretty remarkable con-sidering that the economy has taken a turn and the anime industry as a whole has had some trouble.“We’ve noticed more families with young children, presum-ably from the twentysomethings that make up over half of the membership marrying and having families,” Utz says.But still, Sakura-Con is no Aerosmith concert. Most of the attendees are in their teens or 20s, and the convention has an energy and buzz about it that can only be supplied by a mass of youthful fans.Sakura-Con and other conventions like it have also morphed over the past decade from groups of movie fans to some-thing akin to a Trekkie convention to their current iteration, which goes well beyond anything the Trekkies could have imagined. Fashion trends like Lolita Gothic flourish here. Gamers compete. Toy aficionados pore over rare collect-ibles. Karaoke specialists belt their hearts out. Filmmakers show their latest music videos. In the US in 2010, there is no group gathering that matches an anime/manga conven-tion in sheer creative energy. Confession time. I lived in Japan for 15 years. I consider


myself pretty knowledgeable about Japanese culture and business. I’ve spent my career writing about it and re-searching it. But nothing prepared me for my first anime convention in the US, Sakura-Con 2007. Where did these people come from, I thought. How come they know so much about these Japanese movies? Why are they so dedi-cated to this art form? I was ready to write it off as the 21st Century version of a bunch of Trekkies at a Ramada Inn lin-ing up for George Takei’s autograph. But this was different. This had the “I don’t care what you think of me” of the punk movement, the arts-and-crafts creativity of the zine move-ment and the inspired costumes of Halloween and Mardi Gras all rolled into one event. “Every major anime convention experienced growth last year despite economic indications that they would stall,” Utz writes in an email. “I think the reason is that anime con-ventions like Sakura-Con encompass more than just fans interested in one franchise or hobby. Sakura-Con features anime, manga and gaming but within those categories is programming focusing on Asian culture, costuming, paint-ing, drama, voice, drawing, writing, martial arts, J-music, film, software development, travel, literature and more. Sakura-Con is for more than ‘just’ a hardcore anime fan, but of course there are also plenty of those.”Their presence will be felt on April 2-4 in Seattle. If you’ve never seen a community of creative, positive and, yes, let’s say it — unabashedly nerdy — Americans celebrating an-other country’s pop culture, then join the fun. Anime fans don’t bite. They’ll probably even give you a high-five on the long escalator ride up to the ticket booth.


The latest installment in this popular series (85 million units shipped and counting!) hit the stands in the US on March 9. It was released earlier in Japan, and the word from gamers there is that the 13th version of this popular game delivers groundbreaking graphics.The Final Fantasy series has been around since 1987. That’s when avid Seattle gamer Nate Eslava started playing. Twenty-three years later, he has every version of the Final Fantasy series — even the ones that weren’t released in the US — and a collection of elixir bottles from Final Fan-tasy XII that he bought in Japan. Eslava says that nostalgia plays a big role in his attachment to the game, but the cut-ting-edge graphics and the complex storylines keep him

excited about each new version. No game compares in his estimation. “I convinced my wife to let me buy one company stock,” Eslava says. His choice? Square Enix. “I wanted to own a piece of this game.”The devotion of fans like Eslava is even more impressive when one considers that each version of Final Fantasy is a self-contained world independent of the versions that came before.

J-Pop Sampler



Dragon Ball Z

FINAL FANTASY


Manga artist Akira Toriyama wrote and illus-trated the Dragon Ball series between 1984 and 1995 in the pages of Shonen Jump (see the opposite page). Toei Animation turned the story into three anime series, the second of which was Dragon Ball Z. FUNimation Pro-ductions aired the dubbed version of Drag-on Ball Z in the US. It took awhile to catch on, but today, the adventures of Goku and his Z warriors have become a huge hit around the world. The whole Dragon Ball series has blossomed into 17 movies and 500 TV epi-sodes. The show gets its best ratings in the

US, Japan, France, Spain, Hong Kong and Mexico. The story started as a comedy, according to FUNimation, but later turned into a battle of good and evil. The Dragon Ball series has been a success on TV and the big screen as well as in the toy store.

©BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Film©1989 TOEI ANIMATION CO., LTD.Licensed by FUNimation® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of SHUEISHA, INC.



SHONEN JUMP

TOKYO POP

The Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan is consid-ered the king of manga for young Japanese males. With circulation of more than 3 mil-lion, it has launched Naruto, Dragon Ball and other classics of the genre over the decades. Since 2002, a monthly English version has been available from Viz Media of San Fran-cisco. English-speaking manga fans can find translations of Naruto, One Piece, Yu-gi-Oh and much more, including Japanese lessons and illustrations sent in by American fans. Each monthly magazine features more than 300 pages, drawing a readership of more than 2.7 million. The average reader is a boy between the ages of 8 and 17.

This American publishing company is one of the driving forces behind the popular-ity of manga in the US. Key decisions early on helped the company both cut costs and provide a more authentic version of the comics. For one, Tokyopop manga read left to right, like Japanese manga. Also, the company decided to retouch the drawings less, keeping in the onomatopoeic sound effects that are ever-present in the Japa-nese versions. The company started with Sailor Moon, but today its list of titles and products reflects the rapid rise in popular-ity of all things J-pop. Some of its hottest-selling titles today include the Goth series Vampire Kisses, the Warcraft manga and Gakuen Alice. But Fruits Basket tops them all; it’s the best-selling shojo (girls’) manga of all time. Check out www.tokyopop.com for more.

SHONEN JUMP Magazine, Jan 2010 and March 2010ONE PIECE © 1997 by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.BLEACH © 2001 by Tite Kubo/SHUEISHA Inc.

NARUTO Vol. 48:NARUTO © 1999 by Masashi Kishimoto/SHUEISHA Inc.

ONE PIECE Vol. 39ONE PIECE © 1997 by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.

<< One Piece, a manga for boys, has been all the rage among Ameri-can manga fans recent-ly. The series started in the Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997.

<< The hero in the popular Naruto manga is Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja striving to be the best ninja in his village.

Vampire Kisses Text copyright © Ellen Schreiber; Art © TOKYOPOP Inc. and HarperCollins PublishersWarcraft: Death Knight © 2009 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Gakuen Alice © Tachibana HiguchiFruits Basket © Natsuki TakayaD.N. Angel © Yukiru SUGISAKI




Fukuoka’s Game for Business

Photos ©JNTO

Fukuoka Game Industry Promotion

Agency

ukuoka may be a few hours by bullet train from Osaka and To-kyo, but the southern Japanese

city has decided that one of its strongest business allies may be more than 5,000 miles to the east. Fukuoka City officials are looking across the Pacific to Seattle to find the knowledge and business ties necessary to build a global hub for the rapidly expanding and internationaliz-ing video-game industry.“Fukuoka is thinking about connecting with Seattle via the video-game busi-ness,” Kohei Yamada of Fukuoka’s inter-national economic development team writes in an email. “Fukuoka’s game in-dustry is much smaller than Seattle’s, and it has a much smaller cluster than Seattle, but by building ties with Seattle we can create new game businesses, send companies there and have Seattle companies come here.”Global competition in the gaming industry — one of the few hot industries in an oth-erwise tepid global economy — has grown fierce. While Fukuoka is still a small player in

the industry, it’s neatly tucked next to South Korea, an up-and-coming player in the sec-tor, and a quick flight from Taiwan, another emerging force. Fukuoka City has been slow-ly wooing more game companies, too, grow-ing from a modest cluster of three companies in 2003 to 13 today anchored by the very suc-cessful LEVEL-5 Inc., creator of the Profes-sor Layton series, which has sold 9.18 million copies worldwide. LEVEL-5 has also been handpicked by Square Enix to make the new-est version of the 50-million-seller Dragon Quest franchise, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.Of course, compared to the greater Seattle area, which is home to 150 -200 game-related companies including Bungie, PopCap, Nin-tendo of America and Microsoft, Fukuoka is still a minor player. But by connecting with Seattle and creating strong ties between the cities, Yamada says, Fukuoka can establish it-self as an international hub in a country that has not always been quick to embrace global ties.“By promoting ties (with Seattle), we can promote Fukuoka as a gateway con-necting Japan to the rest of the world at a time when Japanese game compa-nies have been slow to internationalize,” he writes. “We would like to have game companies from Asia and the West that are interested in Japan gather in Fukuo-ka.”The first steps for Fukuoka are dispatch-ing a consultant and researcher to Se-attle and Vancouver to review the game industry and get a better feel for the ter-rain. Based on the researcher’s feedback, the city plans to send a business delega-tion this year to strengthen ties with Se-attle. Fukuoka will then become a more noticeable presence at video-game ex-hibits and business conferences in the Pacific Northwest. Fukuoka’s game sector is centered around what it calls the GFF, short for Game Fac-tory Fukuoka, which began in 2004. The star of the group is LEVEL-5, but other innova-tive companies creating game software and digital content have also chosen to settle here, including D.A.G Inc., which created the com-puter graphics for the movie Devil May Cry 4; CyberConnect2, the creator of many Play-Station platform games for NARUTO;and GANBARION, the creator of many One

Piece titles.Fukuoka’s easy access to other Northeast Asian destinations, its high quality of life and its temperate climate are all draws for businesses looking for a Japanese home, as is the fact that a video-game company can run its business in Fukuo-ka for a fraction of the cost of doing busi-ness in Tokyo. To top it off, the city plans to offer financial and legal support to foreign companies setting up business-es in Fukuoka. The city is eager to make a splash in the industry, so businesses that choose Fukuoka early may find some great deals.The midsize Japanese city has set up the Fukuoka Game Industry Promotion Agency to achieve its dream of growing into a strong international video-game hub. Its relationship with Seattle plays a key part in that dream, so expect to see more from Fukuoka in the months ahead.

Fukuoka is the biggest city on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. The city has a population of 1.5 million. The population swells with tour-ists each summer during the 750-year-old Yamakasa Festival. Bottom left: A favorite Fukuoka treat is the pork-based tonkotsu ramen served from street vendors.

Through government-industry-academia collaboration, GFF, Kyushu University and Fukuoka City have established an organi-zation promoting the game industry to help the city become a hub for the industry.

F


Fukuoka GFF companies

FUKUOKATOKYO

OSAKA

NARUTO™ Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3(PlayStation®Portable)NARUTO™ Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 software© 2004-2010 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. All Rights Reserved.NARUTO artwork and elements© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO / 2007 SHIPPUDEN All Rights Reserved.SHONEN JUMP and NARUTO are trademarks of Shueisha, Inc.in the U.S. and/or other countries. This product is manufactured,distributed and sold in North, South and Central Americanterritories under license from VIZ Media, LLC.

Professor Layton and the Ocarina of Malevolent Deity (Nintendo DS®)©2009 LEVEL-5 Inc.

ONE PIECE Unlimited Cruise2 AWAKENING OF A HERO (Nintendo Wii®) ONE PIECE © EIICHIRO ODA/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATIONProgram 2008 2009 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.All Rights Reserved.


Bush Garden Restaurant(206)682-6830614 Maynard Avenue S., SeattleCutting Board(206) 767-80755503 Airport Way S, SeattleFuji Sushi(206) 624-1201520 S Main St, SeattleGenki Sushi(206) 453-3881 500 Mercer St. Unit C-2, 2B, SeattleHana Restaurent(206) 328-1187219 Broadway E, SeattleHiroshi’s Restaurant(206) 726-49662501 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle Ichiban Restaurant206-623-8868601 S Main St, SeattleI Love Sushi - Lake Union206-625-96041001 Fairview Ave N, SeattleImo Asian Bistro(206) 264-9570704 1st Ave, SeattleIssian(206) 632-70101618 N 45th St, SeattleJ Sushi(206) 287-9000674 S Weller St, SeattleKaname Izakaya Shochu Bar(206) 682-1828610 S Jackson St, SeattleKisaku(206) 545-90502101 N. 55th St. #100, SeattleKozue Japanese Restaurant(206) 547-20081608 N 45th St, Seattle

Kushibar(206) 448-24882319 2nd Ave, SeattleManeki(206) 622-2631304 6th Ave S, SeattleMarinepolis Sushi Land -Queen Anne Hill(206) 267-7621803 5th Ave N, SeattleNishino(206) 322-58003130 E Madison St # 106, SeattleNijo(206) 340-888089 Spring St, SeattleOtoto Sushi(206) 691-38387 Boston St, SeattleRed Fin Sushi Restaurant(206) 441-4340612 Stewart St, SeattleSamurai Noodle(206) 624-9321606 5th Ave St, SeattleShiki Japanese Restaurant(206) 281-13524W Roy St, SeattleShun Japanese Cuisine(206) 522-22005101 NE 25th Ave #11, SeattleTsukushinbo(206) 467-4004515 S Main St, SeattleToyoda Sushi(206) 367-797212543 Lake City Way, SeattleVi Bacchus Sake Bar & Bistro(206) 328-52751401 Broadway, SeattleWabi-Sabi Sushi Bar & Restaurant(206) 721-02124909 Rainier Ave S, Seattle

SEATTLE

Greater Seattle

Mashiko Japanese Restaurant(206) 935-4339 4725 California Ave SW, SeattleCheck out sushiwhore.com You’ll like it.

Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant(206) 443-98442401 2nd Ave, Seattlewww.shiros.com

Boom Noodle, Capitol Hill(206) 701-91301121 E Pike St, Seattlewww.boomnoodle.com

Maekawa Bar(206) 622-0634601 S King St #206,Seattle

Fort St. George(206) 382-0662601 S King St # 202, Seattle

Aoki Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar(206) 324-3633621 Broadway E, Seattle Blue C Sushi - University Village(206) 525-46014601 26th Ave NE, Seattle Blue C Sushi - Fremont (206) 633-34113411 Fremont Ave N, SeattleBlue C Sushi - 7th avenue (206) 467-4022 1510 7th Ave, Seattle

Restaurant Directory


Restaurant DirectorySushi Joa(206) 230-41202717 78th Ave SE, Mercer Islandwww. sushijoa.com

Boom Noodle, Bellevue Square(425) 453-6094504 Bellevue Square, Bellevuewww.boomnoodle.com

Flo Japanese Sushi Restaurant(425) 453-40051188 106th Ave NE, BellevueGinza Japanese Restaurant(425) 709-7072103 102nd Ave SE, BellevueI Love Sushi -One Lake Bellevue(425) 455-909023 Lake Bellevue Dr, BellevueI Love Sushi -Bellevue Main(425) 454-570611818 NE 8th St, BellevueIzakaya Sushi - at The Landing(425) 228-2800829 N 10th St. Suite G, RentonIzumi Japanese Restaurant with Sushi-Bar(425) 821-195912539 116th Ave N.E., KirklandKobe Wellbeing Tonkatsu & Tao Sushi Bar(425) 451-3888850 110th Ave NE, BellevueKikuya Restaurant(425) 881-87718105 161st Ave NE, RedmondKiku Sushi(425) 644-235815555 NE 24th St, BellevueRikki Rikki Authentic Japanese Restaurant (425) 828-0707442 Parkplace Center, Kirkland

Wasabi Bistro(206) 441-60442311 2nd Ave, SeattleWann Japanese Izakaya(206) 441-56372020 2nd Ave, Seattle

North EndCafe Soleil(425) 493-18479999 Harbour Place # 105, MukilteoAll natural Euro Japanese cooking cafe-soleil.net

Bluefin Sushi & Seafood Buffet(206) 367-0115401 NE Northgate Way # 463, SeattleBlue C Sushi - the Village at Alderwood Mall(425) 329-3596 3000 184th St SW, LynnwoodCherry Blossom Sushi Bar & Grill(425) 315-802210809 Mukilteo Speedway, MukilteoEdina Sushi(425) 776-806819720 44th Ave W, LynnwoodMarinepolis Sushi Land -Lynnwood(425) 275-902218500 33rd Ave NW, LynnwoodMatsu Sushi(425) 771-3368 19505 44th Ave W #K, LynnwoodSakuma Japanese Restaurant(425) 347-306310924 Mukilteo Speedway # G, MukilteoSetsuna Japanese Restaurant and Bar(206) 417-317511204 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle

Taka Sushi(425) 778-168918904 Hwy 99 Suite A, LynnwoodWarabi Japanese Restaurant & Bar(206) 361-262013754 Aurora Ave N, Seattle

South End

Miyabi Restaurant(206) 575-681516820 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila

Blue C Sushi - Westfield Southcenter(206) 277-8744468 Southcenter Mall, TukwilaBlossom Asian Bistro(425) 430-1610305 Burnett Avenue South, RentonGenki Sushi -Renton(425) 277-1050365 S. Grady Way Ste. B & C, RentonMarinepolis Sushi Land -Southcenter Mall(206) 816-3280100 Andover Park West 160, TukwilaNew Zen Japanese Restaurant(425) 254-159910720 SE Carr Rd, RentonBistro Satsuma(253) 858-51515315 Point Fosdick Dr NW #A, Gig Harbor

EastsideBlue C Sushi, Bellevue Square (425) 454-8288503 Bellevue Square, BellevueBlue Ginger Korean Grill & Sushi(425) 746-122214045 NE 20th St, Bellevue


Restaurant DirectoryMarinepolis Sushi Land -Bellevue(425) 455-2793138 107th Ave. NE, BellevueMarinepolis Sushi Land -Redmond(425) 284-25878910 161st Ave NE, RedmondSushi Maru(425) 453-0100205 105th Ave, BellevueSushi Me(425) 644-98001299 156th Ave NE #145, BellevueMomoya Restaurant(425) 889-902012100 NE 85th St, KirklandTokyo Japanese Restaurent(425) 641-56913500 Factoria Blvd SE, BellevueZen Asian Bistro, Japanese & Thai(425) 453-2999989 112th Ave NE #105, Bellevue2AM(425) 643-188814603 NE 20th St #4, Bellevue

PORTLANDPortlandBamboo Sushi(503) 232-5255310 SE 28th Ave, PortlandBiwa Restaurant(503) 239-8830215 SE 9th Avenue, PortlandBlue Fin Sushi(503) 274-79221988 SW Broadway, PortlandBush Garden(503) 226-7181900 SW Morrison St, Portland

Crescendo noodle house & bar(503) 226-718116055 SW Regatta Lane, BeavertonHiroshi Restaurant(503) 619-0559926 NW 10th Ave, PortlandKoji Osakaya -Downtown Portland(503) 294-1169 606 SW Broadway, PortlandKoji Osakaya - Lloyd Place(503) 280-0992 1502 NE Weidler, PortlandMarinepolis Sushi Land -Lloyd(503) 280-03001409 NE Weidler St, PortlandMarinepolis Sushi Land -Pearl(503) 546-9933138 NW 10th Ave, PortlandMika Sushi(503) 222-06991425 SW 2nd Avenue, PortlandSaburo’s Sushi House Restaurant(503) 236-42371667 SE Bybee Blvd, PortlandYuki Sushi & Sake Bar(503) 525-8807930 NW 23rd Ave, Portland

Beaverton / HillsboroHakatamon(503) 641-461310500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, BeavertonHanabi’s Izakaya Bistro & Bar(503) 646-198610053 SW Nimbus Ave, BeavertonIkenohana(503) 646-126714308 SW Allen Blvd, BeavertonIzakaya Kaiten Sushi(503) 643-257814605 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton

I love Sushi(503) 644-52523486 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, BeavertonKoji Osakaya -Hillsboro(503) 629-18152215 NW Allie Ave, HillsboroMarinepolis Sushi Land -Beaverton(503) 520-02574021 SW 117th Ave, BeavertonSyun Izakaya(503) 640-3131 209 NE Lincoln St, HillsboroSambi Japanese Restaurant(503) 296-00459230 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, BeavertonSushi & Maki(503) 648-4366 2401 NE Cornell Rd No. X, HillsboroYuzu Japanese Restaurant(503) 350-18014130 SW 117th Avenue #H, BeavertonYuki Sushi & Sake Bar(503) 430-52751335 NE Orenco Station Pkwy, Hillsboro

Vancouver WAMarinepolis Sushi Land -Vancouver(360) 883-38811401 SE 164th Ave, Vancouver


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Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill

Imo Asian Bistro

Vi Bacchus Sake Bar & Bistro

Seattle’s favorite Kaiten Sushi chains. Quick, affordable and good!

Authentic sushi served by master chefs

Stylish restaurant located in Hotel MaxBelltown

Downtown

InternationalDistrict

Izakaya with class and sophisticated atmosphere

R

Blue C Sushi

Bar dining serving tasty Korean & Japa-nese fusion dishes

SSake shop and tasting bar

S S

S Daiso Japan

100 yen store chain from Japan

Sake Nomi

Kinokuniya Book Store

DaisoJapan

SMing’s Asian Gallery

Bush Gardem

J Sushi

Japan Town

Uwajimaya

Great hearty izakaya dishes at very reason-able prices

Fresh local fish in traditional edomae style

Modern Izakaya with many sake & shochu selec-tions

Main St.

Jackson St.R

R

RR

S

Fuji Sushi

Kobo at Higo

Ichiban Panama Cafe

Kaname Izakaya

RTsukushinbo

Cafe in historic building that houses the only remaining Japanese Bathhouse (Sento) in the US

S

6th Ave

5th Ave

3rd Ave

5th Ave6th Ave

At Kobo, you will find Japanese art, furniture, crafts, pottery and more

S

R

Momo

Maneki

Maekawa Izakaya &Fort St George

Find Japanese & Asian books and goodies here

Roy St.

Mercer St

Republican St.

Harrison St

Thomas St

John St.

Elliott Ave

Western Ave

Alaskan Way

8th Ave

IBUKI MapWhere to pick up IBUKI

in Downtown, Belltown & International District*See p.12-13 (restaurant) and p.18-10 (stores)

for address and phone numbers

Hip Kaiten sushi. J-pop lovers will like it

S

SAzuma GalleryKagedo

SUnicorn Crepes

Japanese street Yatai style Izakaya bar


Business DirectoryArt & FurnitureKoboKobo at Higo(206) 381-3000604 S Jackson St, SeattleKobo Capitol Hill(206) 726-0704814 E Roy, SeattleShop & gallery featuring art, craft and design from Japan and the Northwestkoboseattle.com

Ming’s Asian GallerySeattle(206) 748-7889519 6th Ave S, SeattleBellevue(425) 462-400810217 Main St, BellevueFine antique and contem-porary Asian furniture mingsgallery.comAzuma Gallery(206) 622-5599530 1st Ave S, Seattle

Takumi Company(206) 622-2804JapaneseCarpentry.comCarolyn Staley Fine Prints(206) 621-18882003 Western Ave #107, SeattleChidori Asian Antiques(206) 343-7736108 So.Jackson St, SeattleGlenn Richards - Asian Furnishings & Antiques(206) 287-1877964 Denny Way, SeattleKagedo(206) 467-9077520 1st Ave S, SeattleThe Cullom Gallery(206) 919-8278313 Occidental Ave S, SeattleShogun’s Gallery(503) 224-03281111 NW 23rd Ave, Portland

Bakery and CafeFuji Bakery(425) 641-40501502 145the PL SE, BellevueFumie’s Gold(425) 223-589310045 Northeast 1st Street, BellevueHiroki Desserts(206) 547-41282224 N 56th St, SeattlePanama Hotel Tea & Coffee House(206) 515-4000607 S Main St, SeattleSetsuko Pastry(206) 816 03481618 N 45th St, SeattleUnicorn Crepes(206) 652-0637421 6th Avenue South, Seattle

Books, Games & AnimeAnime Asylum(503) 284-66261009 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR

Anime Raku(425) 454-011210627 NE 8th St, Bellevue

Kinokuniya Book StoreSeattle(206) 587-2477525 S Weller St, Seattle Beaverton(503) 641-624010500 SW Bvtn-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton

Tokyo Lifestyle(206) 241-0219633 Westfield, Southcen-ter Mall, TukwilaNewly opened in West-field Southcenter

FashionMomo(206) 329-4736600 S Jackson St, SeattleTotokaelo(206) 623.3582913 Western Ave, Seattle

General StoreAnzen Hiroshi’s(503) 233-5111736 NE MLK Blvd, PortlandDaiso Alderwood Mall(425) 673-18253000 184th St SW, # 398, LynnwoodDaiso West Lake Center(206) 625-0076400 Pine St. #1005, SeattleDaiso International District76 S Washington St, Seattle

Health and BeautyHen Sen Herbs(206) 328-282813256 NE 20th St. Suite 3A, BellevueAcupuncture Associates -Eastgate(425) 289-018815100 SE 38th St #305B, BellevueAcupuncture Associates -Redmond(425) 882-011216761 NE 79th, RedmondCentral Chiropractic Clinic(206) 362-352015027 Aurora Ave N, ShorelineWellnessOne of Eastgate(425) 289-009215100 SE 38th St., Ste. 305B, Bellevue

Japanese ConfectioneryBlue Camellia(425) 889-2735Tokara Confectionery(206) 784-0226

SakeSaké Nomi(206) 467-725376 S Washington St, Seattle


Business DirectorySchoolsMusicSchool of Taiko(425) 785-8316www.Japantaiko.comCookingBlue Camellia - a Japanese Confectionery (425) 889-273511229 NE 106th Pl, Kirkland, WAHiroko Sugiyama Culinary Atelier(425) 836-463522207 NE 31st St, SammamishNuCulinary(206) 932-38556523 California Ave SW, SeattleSatsuma Cooking School(206) 244-515117105 Ambaum Blvd S, SeattleJapanese CalligraphyAkashi USA Co - Redmond(425) 869-09946611 147th Ct NE, Redmond

Japanese Floral DesignIkebana by Megumi(425) 744-9751www.ikebanabymegumi.comIkenobo Lake Washington Chapter(425) 803-326811832 NE 73rd St, KirklandThe Little Flower Station(425) 770-5888www.thelittleflowerstation.comYushoryu Ikenobo(206) 723-49945548 Beason Ave. S.,SeattleLanguageSeattle Japanese Language School(206) 323-02501414 S Weller St, SeattleWashington Academy of Languages(206) 682-44632 Nickerson St, # 201, SeattleMartial ArtsAikido Eastside(425) 802-3125 13410 SE 32nd St, Bellevue

Seattle Kendo Kai(206) 721-14161610 S King St, SeattleSeattle Judo Dojo(206) 324-70801510 S Washington St, SeattleSeattle School of Aikido(206) 525-19553422 NE 55th St, SeattleKoei-Kan Karate-Do Bellevue(425) 747-94111910 132nd Ave NE, #11, BellevueObukan Kendo Club(503) 443-22814130 SW 117th Ave. Suite 246, BeavertonPortland Aikikai(503) 274-26061623 NW Marshall, PortlandTea CeremonyUrasenke Foundation Seattle Branch(206) 324-14832360 43rd Ave East, #113, SeattleOtherJapanese Abacus Math School(503) 520-106315188 NW Central Drive #219, Portland

Japanese Confectionery

Japanese cuisine has become quite common in America. But how many people know much about Japanese sweets? Japanese sweets, wagashi, are as different from Western sweets as Japa-

nese cuisine is from American cuisine. Wagashi usually do not contain any butter or flour. In-stead, they are made with rice and/or a sweetened bean paste called anko. Each piece is tiny and exquisitely designed. Gwen Stamm, who teaches Japanese tea sweets in Kirkland, says, “Japanese sweets for tea depict some aspect of seasons. For example, the month of April emphasizes the cherry blossom season. Therefore, most sweets will in some way evoke the feeling of springy cherry blossoms.” If you are interested, Gwen’s three-hour-long classes take place every month. For $30, you can learn to make wagashi while sampling your creations along with a bowl of mat-cha green tea. You’ll also take some sweets home (contact: Gwen Stamms Blue Camellia at 425 889-2735). You can also order her confectioneries without taking her classes. Tokara Confec-tionery located near Green Lake (www.tokaragashi.com / Tel. 206-784-0226) is another choice for professionally crafted wagashi. Both Gwen and Tokara learned confectionery in Kyoto. An-

other simple quick route to tasting wagashi is to choose from the wide variety offered at Uwajimaya supermarket. Mochi Ice Cream from Maeda-en, a Japanese green tea producer, is a good choice especially if you are still not sure about sweetened bean paste. It’s a fusion of a layer of mochi (rice cake) and pre-mium ice cream. At your next tea party, why not impress your

friends by serving artistically shaped Japanese confectioner-ies and green tea? << Wagashi, Japanese con-

fectionery, crafted by Gwen Stamm.<< Maeda-en’s Mochi Ice Cream with green tea

flavor is a must-try.


Spinach Salad with Seasoned Mashed Tofu: Shiraae

Tofu (firm) ............................................................... 10 ozSpinach ................................................................. 1 bunchCarrot ..............................................................................1Dried shiitake mushrooms ................................................3Saké............................................................................ 3 tbsSugar .......................................................................... 3 tbsSoy sauce .................................................................... 3 tbsGround white sesame seeds ........................................ 3 tbsWater .....................................................................1/3 cup

Ingredients (4 servings)

Directions

1. Wrap the tofu with paper towels and place a small cutting board on top of it (used for weight). Leave it for about 15 minutes to remove the water.

2. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in 1/3 cup water. Let sit for 10 min. When mushrooms are softened, remove stem and slice thinly. Keep the drained water; it will be used as dashi, or soup stock. Peel carrot and slice into thin strips.

Low-fat, high-in-protein vegetarian recipe

Shiraae is a traditional tofu dish in Japan. Various vegetables and seaweeds can be used for shiraae, but let’s try some simple ingre-dients that Americans are familiar with: spinach and carrots. Because we dress the dish with tofu instead of mayo or cheese, this shiraae style salad is a great dish for someone on a diet.

3. Put saké, sugar, 1tbs soy sauce, and dashi water (water drained from shiitake mushrooms) in a small pan and bring to a boil. Add carrot and shiitake mushrooms and simmer on medium heat until carrots are softened. Set aside until cool.

4. In a large pot, cook spinach in boiling water for one minute (do not overcook). Drain spinach and then soak in cold water until cool. Drain and squeeze the spinach to remove the excess liquid. Cut spinach into about 1 inch lengths.

5. Smash tofu with a fork in a large bowl. Add liquid from cooked carrot and shiitake mushrooms, 2 tbs soy sauce and sesame seeds.

6. Mix carrot and shitake into the seasoned smashed Tofu. Add spinach and mix again.

Dashi SOy?

To make an even better dish, use dashi soy sauce instead of ordi-nary soy sauce. Kamada’s Dashi soy contains natural broth made from fish extracts and kombu sea-weed. It will add a rich, deeper flavor.


RECIPE

Check out more recipes online

www.ibukimagazine.com

Ingredients (2 servings)

1. Pour oil at least 1 inch deep into frying pan; heat to 350°F.

2. Slice meat to 1/4 inch thick. Beat egg until blended. Coat both sides of pork with flour, then dip into egg and finally coat thoroughly with bread crumbs.

3. Fry meat in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

4. Serve with steamed rice and warmed Kikkoman Ginza Classic Curry Sauce.

5. Top with pickled vegetables as you like.

Cutlet Curry

Directions

Kikkoman Ginza Classic Curry Sauce ....... 1 canKikkoman Bread Crumbs (Panko) ..........¼ cupBoneless pork or chicken breast ...............2 slicesEgg ................................................................. 1All-purpose flour ........................................1 tbsSteamed rice ............................................ 4 cupsOil for fryingPickled vegetable (optional)

The cutlet is a common Euro-Japanese dish, as is curry rice. This richly delicious combination of Japanese curry and cutlet is very popular among hungry young men in Japan. Try cooking J-style cutlet curry with Kikkoman’s ready-to-eat Ginza Curry™ Sauce.

Toppings on Japanese Curry

While cutlets make for a typical topping on Japanese curry, pickled vegetables are also a common and tasty topping. Although Japanese pickles such as rakkyo and fukujinzuke are typically used in Japan, American pickles go well with curry too. Some people like topping with melted cheese and sliced boiled eggs to make spicy curry milder.


呑酒By Johnnie Stroud, owner of Saké Nomi

SAKE

Saké Regions

At Saké Nomi, we’ve organized and grouped our saké by the regions in which they were brewed. It is

our hope that this will encourage our cus-tomers to explore the wide variety of styles brewed in regions throughout Japan whose names might not be immediately recogniz-able.While the brewing capitals of Kobe and Kyoto feature delicious saké from the world’s biggest and best-selling brewing companies, we particularly enjoy the dis-covery of smaller, family owned and oper-ated breweries often located in more rural areas. Saké produced by these smaller op-erations is referred to as jizake, or “local/country saké,” and we think of them as be-ing roughly equivalent to a microbrewery or boutique winery.Many saké brewing styles and flavors have developed as a direct result of regional in-fluences such as naturally occurring water sources and locally cultivated rice.In general, “regionality” in saké is not as pronounced as it is in the wine world, and unlike grapes used in wine making, saka-mai (saké rice) is routinely shipped from region to region for use in brewing. Before the development of sophisticated distribution methods, the local cuisine

also played a major role in determining the prevalent flavor profiles of the area’s saké. It’s a bit of a generalization, but the style of saké drunk in seaside towns where fresh seafood is a staple of the local diet tended to be light and dry, whereas saké in more remote or mountainous regions tended to be more robust and full-bodied to comple-ment the saltier preserved foods found in those areas.A few areas famous for regional distinction include Niigata (light, clean, dry and re-fined), the Nada district in Kobe (dry, set-tled, not overly fragrant and “masculine”), and the Fushimi district in Kyoto (soft, slightly sweet, melting and “feminine”).As the saké market continues to change and develop, many brewers are taking advan-tage of technological advances to produce unique saké that does not fit the traditional regional “mold.” The skills of each individual toji (brewmas-ter) allow them to exert enough leverage on a saké’s flavor profile that it is not much of a stretch to say that if you provide two neighboring brewers with the exact same raw materials, they would each produce a distinctly unique product. While an argument can be made that technology and improved transportation

Johnnie Stroud, is the owner of Saké Nomi, the saké shop and tasting bar in Pioneer Square.

Saké Nomi76 South Washington Street, SeattleTel 206-467-SAKE

has made the Japanese saké drinking and brewing world smaller, resulting in more homogeneous saké styles, we believe there are still many interesting regional charac-teristics to be found, and we respect the lo-cal pride that these brewers express through their craft.

NARUTOTAIGINJO SHIBORITATE NAMA GENSHUBrewery: Honke Matsuura (established 1804)Region: TokushimaType: Ginjo (Nama Genshu)/58%Unpasteurized (nama) and undiluted or “cask strength” (genshu). Yeasty, sweet grain aro-mas. Soft, full, gentle mouthfeel, with rip-ened fruit sweetness, a hint of chocolate and slight minerality. Lingering finish shows a touch of mint. The “oil can” would be ideal at a barbecue, or with fatty sashimi.


TRAVEL : Special Edition

Fly east for 10 hours and you’ll arrive in a place far removed from Western culture. This summer, why not explore Japan, a country rich in both an-cient traditions and up-to-the-minute excitement? Shop along the Ginza, home to an impressive collection of world-renowned boutiques; drop by the otaku paradise of Akihabara and sip tea at a maid café; take a trip to a local hot-springs inn and dine on the local sashimi and saké; and celebrate Japan’s hot summer with a traditional Japanese festival. On the following pages, we’ll introduce you to companies waiting to make this dream trip become a reality for you.

Experience Historic Festivals in Tohoku, Northern Japan

Tokyo + Onsen Hot Spring

Your Own Trip with Japan Rail Pass

Visit JapanThis Summer’s Destination

Plan Your Own Trip with Japan Rail Pass

“The Japan Rail Pass lets travelers ride JR trains, buses and ferries with one simple ticket,” explains Max Hattori, the man in charge of Sankei Travel’s Seattle office. Japan’s public transportation system is safe and punctual, making it a relaxing way for travelers to see the country. The popular ekiben (boxed lunches) feature local delicacies that add to the fun of the trip. For long-term travelers and students, the 21-day pass allows for travel from the southern tip of Kyushu to the northernmost point

of Hokkaido. It’s an economical way to see the country. You can enjoy a dip in the ocean along the way or a hike in the Japanese Alps near Nagano, which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. Take in the many charms of Japan’s cities and countryside with this pass.

Sankei Travel Seattle Office1-800-801-4069www.sankeitravel.com

Kyushu Hokkaido

©Kagoshima Prefectural Tourist Federation/©JNTO

© Furano/© JNTO


Tokyo + Onsen Hot SpringJTB offers a wide range of services, from pack-age tours to hotel reservations, but the one that has been getting the most attention lately has been its Flex service, which allows travelers to select their own destinations and accom-modations. “The most popular service is one that combines a stay in Tokyo, a trip to a hot-springs inn, the train ticket to get there and the airline tickets to and from Japan,” says Dan Winters of the JTB Seattle office. Ibuki has featured hot-springs resorts in earlier issues. They’re wonderful for experiencing Japan’s fa-mous cuisine, architecture and exemplary ser-vice. Because Japan has plenty of volcanoes, it also is dotted with hot springs. Hakone and Inatori on the Izu Peninsula are close to Tokyo but seem worlds away when you’re soaking in a hot-springs bath and looking out at the ocean or up at Mount Fuji. Or visit Kusatsu, where many Japanese ryokan, or inns, are clustered

JTB USA Seattle Office1-866-467-8877www.jtbusa.com

Tokyo

Onsen

together, allowing you to sample different public baths as you stroll around the town. This website offers an overview of some of these hot-springs destinations: http://www.japanican.com/special/onsen/. You can start planning the trip of a lifetime today.

Travel agencies offer many different packages, so please consult a professional travel agent to find the tour that is right for you. The Japanese government has been aggressively promoting the country as a tourist destination and improving the English signage for travelers, making Japan a comfortable destination for overseas visitors. Deflationary trends in Japan have also made dining and shopping much more affordable. If you think Japan is expensive, you’re in for a surprise. This summer is a wonderful time to experience Japan.

©JNTO

©JNTO

©Odakyu Electric Railway/©JNTO


Hakodate

Aomori

Akita

Sendai

Nikko

Tokyo

Experience Historic Festivals in Tohoku, Northern JapanChing Tan, sales manager at Travel Oriented, says there’s one tour that he recommends above all others during the summer months: A trip that includes visits to the Big Three festi-vals of Japan’s northern region, Tohoku. “Our tour is put together by people very knowledge-able about travel in Japan. The restaurants, hotels and sightseeing spots they select offer a vast view of Japan in a short time. The package tour and the relatively close destinations offer the best option both economically and expe-rientially.”On the Tokyo & Summer Festival 8-Day tour, travelers gather in Tokyo, then fly to Hakodate on Hokkaido. They take the bullet train to Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Sendai, Nikko and then back to Tokyo. The main destinations along the way are the three great festivals: Nebuta Festival in Aomori, the Kanto Festival in Akita and the Tanabata Festival in Sendai. The Nebuta Festival dates back to the 9th Cen-tury and draws three million sightseers annu-ally. The festival features massive lanterns made of traditional washi paper, and dancers and drummers in traditional Nebuta costumes. It’s

Travel Oriented Inc.1-888-496-5676www.japandeluxetour. com

a dynamic parade. The Kanto Festival in Akita started as a way for farmers to gather and pray for an abun-dant harvest. Today it includes unique perfor-mances by people balancing 110-lb. lanterns on their heads, shoulders and chests. The Tan-abata Festival features colorful streamers made of traditional washi paper — a beautiful way to celebrate summer in northern Japan. A trip to Tohoku this summer offers a wonder-ful way to experience Japan’s rich culture.

Nebuta

Kanto

Tanabata

© Yasufumi Nishi/© JNTO

© Yasufumi Nishi/© JNTO

24 息吹 ibuki • March / april 201024 息吹 ibuki • Winter 2009

Bilingual Comic Series


TRENDS

The Demands of Modern MarriageBy Masami Suzuki, translated by Yuko Enomoto

In the old days, the Japanese used to find their marriage partner through arranged meetings. Today, people mainly marry for love. But in this busy age, you can’t just sit around and wait to find your perfect match. These days, you’ve got to make an effort.

Lately, the media has created a new word: konkatsu, which is short for kekkon katsudo, or “marriage activity.” The word

denotes the various activities one might undertake with the goal of finding a spouse. When someone looks for work in Japan, he or she engages in various job-search activities, called shukatsu (short for shushoku katsudo). This is where konkatsu came from. Its original use was from a book entitled Konkatsu Jidai (The Age of Marriage Activity) by a journalist specializing in family issues and Japan’s falling birthrate.

Konkatsu stands alongside “herbivorous boys” (introduced in the inaugural issue of Ibuki) as a nominee for the trendy word of the year in 2009. It’s been a theme of a TV drama and it’s even leading to new business opportunities as local governments talk it up. Konkatsu has become a bit of a social phenomenon. What sort of activities are implied by the popular term? The book that started the boom, Konkatsu Jidai, detailed how computer match-making services were in high demand, but it also showed many other methods people have come up with to find their spouse.

First are singles parties. These have been going on for some time, but they were typically held at night in a downtown

restaurant or bar. Singles parties in the konkatsu style could take place on a bright green golf course in the early morning, at a café over dessert, during lunch or while walking your dog at a park on a Sunday afternoon. Instead of just gathering at a restaurant, these new spouse hunters prefer to find their partner through their interests and hobbies.

Next are the workout or study groups. People gather at the gym or take English lessons, golf classes or wine seminars, where they get a chance to become familiar with the other students. The early birds can engage in asakatsu, short for “morning marriage activities” before work. From 7am in central Tokyo’s Marunou-chi business district, people gather at a culture center to hear lectures on the classics or take classes that lead to certification in a skill or trade. Some singles with the volunteer spirit gather at

parks early on weekends to pick up litter.

Some spots have been created specifically for the konkatsu boom. They’re called konkatsu bars. While these bars have some sim-ilarities with American singles bars, one big difference is that they are for members only. Memberships are usually free and there are no qualifications that need to be met, but the fact that everyone has to show identification and have their identity re-corded means the bar isn’t a place for an anonymous encounter. This makes some visitors feel safer. The bar staff also help to encourage encounters. For example, if you are drinking alone or with a friend at one of these bars, one of the bar employees may come up and say, “The person over there has expressed interest in meeting you. Would you like to get together?” If you agree to the meeting, in the blink of an eye, the staff will have arranged your tables and chairs together. (Of course, if you prefer, you can certainly walk over to the table on your own.) There are even people who admit to dropping by a konkatsu bar every Friday after work.

Recent trends have conspired to create this konkatsu boom. First is the quickly declining birthrate: Japanese women

have an average of 1.37 children. Next, more people are waiting to marry: The average marrying age for men is 30.2; for women it’s 28.5. Third, more people are just not getting married: Nearly 40% of men and 30% of women in the 30-34 age range are sin-gle. And we shouldn’t forget the economic stagnation and lack of jobs. Some women believe that in these difficult economic times, it’s better to find a spouse and settle down than to look for work, while some men also long for the stability of a marriage. Region-al governments have been talking up the konkatsu boom as a way to counter the trend toward rapid aging in the countryside and the falling birthrate. Events feature teams of men and women making local delicacies, konkatsu trolley tours to promote friend-ship and many other locally inspired activities to bring men and women together. The provinces have been making a big push on this front.

Companies that were once known for catering to singles have jumped on the bandwagon by calling themselves “konkatsu pro-ducers” and hosting and planning all sorts of events. There are also konkatsu calendars for sale and konkatsu fraud to beware of … who knows where it will end!

Just as a job search is required to find a job, now marriage searches are part of getting married. And because of this, more

people are turning to konkatsu activities in an attempt to find that special someone. At the same time, many people long for that dramatic encounter, that fateful moment, that sense of true love. When you meet that special someone through a konkatsu activity, the two of you may want to add a little dramatic flair to your story when you’re inevitably asked, “How did you two meet?” at your wedding reception..


LifestyleBy Julian Waters

MOVIES FASHION PLACES & MORE

MOVIES 20th Century Boys 2 – The Last Hope

Based on the one of the most succesful manga comics by Naoki Urasawa, the blockbuster 20th Century Boys trilogy continues with The Last Hope. Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, the series was a huge undertaking with a cast of 300. The production scale has been compared with Lord of the Rings. If you haven’t read the series I suggest you start with the first film 20th Cen-tury Boys: Beginning of the End.The series revolves around a group of childhood friends led by Kenji (Toshiaki Karasawa). While children, they wrote The Book of Prophecy, accurately depicting the rise of a cult organization that attempts to rule and subsequently destroy the world. As the first chapter unfolds, Kenji and his friends try to stop a vil-lain who unleashes a deadly virus.Chapter 2 of the trilogy takes place in 2015 in the future. Many of the main characters are now dead, in prison or on the run,

branded as terrorists. Ten years after the momentous violent events, Kenji is missing while a mysterious “Friend” oversees a New World Empire. With Kenji’s fate unknown, the film turns its focus to his niece Kanna (Taira Airi, Arch Angels). Kanna goes deep undercover, submersing herself into the frightening “Friendland” world, in an effort to clear Kenji’s name and re-veal the truth about “Friend.” After a new Book of Prophecy sur-faces predicting a saviour will arise at a church in Shinjuku but will be assassinated, the fugitives rally together in an effort to find out the truth about “Friend” and the devilish plot.This deeply intense manga series brought to life on the big screen yields a frightening modern masterpiece.

20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope© 1999, 2006, Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

CAR New Sporty Mazda Hatchback to launch in 2010

© Mazda

Mazda is preparing to launch a stylish, eco-friendly, fun-to-drive five-door hatchback, the 2011 Mazda2. Small zippy and efficient, loaded with style and substance, the 2011 Mazda2 will make its premier in the US market late in the summer of 2010.Originally launched in 2007, the new MAZDA2 was first in-troduced in Europe, Japan and Australia. While developing the new Mazda2, Mazda took a thorough look at global trends and carefully worked to identify the truly beneficial values that could be infused into a global subcompact car. These benefits have not gone unnoticed by the public, who have snatched up

over 370,000 units in the three years since its introduction in other parts of the world. The afford-able, new Mazda2 is sure to provide an invigorating spark of performance, energy and subtlety, giving drivers instant satisfac-tion.


Dazzle VisionBeautiful petite singer with Shockingly loud voice... So begins the band Dazzle Vision from Japan. Dazzle Vision is a four-member hard rock and heavy metal band formed in June 2003. Lead singer Maiko has an adorable idol-like appearance with a smooth melodic voice ... until she gets wound up. Then all hell breaks loose. Maiko sings in perfect harmony alongside the guitar and bass played by Yu and Takuro. Dazzle Vision’s CD Crystal Children displays a variety of different rock tunes that cross genres from J-pop to heavy metal. The #7 track “Crystal” contains enough emotional delicacy to compliment the energy of the rest of the album. Dazzle Vision is an exciting band that has found a definite niche. Info: www,japanfiles.com/dazzlevision

© AK inc.

Gadget Space age oxygen for the every day athlete

© Spice Records

MUSIC Sakura-con performing artists

© Human Noise Records

Imagine you are training for your favorite NW marathon and after 30 minutes of running along the Portland waterfront or around Marymoor Park, you say to yourself, “Man, I am really out of breath.” Well until now your options for curing that oxygen deficit was very limited (slow down or walk). But now the creative inventors from Japan have given you a third option. The creators of Oxyfit claim that “the world’s first compact per-sonal oxygen supply” provides up to 30% more oxygen. The advanced electronic oxygen generation pack with a lithium-ion battery provides 1.5 hours of run-time and can be worn biking, hiking, running, even love making--any activity that leaves you gasping for air! Just position the supply tube — which looks like something a telephone operator would wear — in front of your face and it pumps pure oxygen-rich air directly into your breathing space! You are passing up Microsoft or Nike coworkers as they struggle to keep pace with you. While you may feel like a fool running down the street with this getup on,

or your spouse may give you a strange look when you walk into the bedroom wearing nothing but your new gadget, the extra edge is worth it, isn’t it? Before you answer, I had better mention that it will set you back about $2,700. Hap-py trails :-)

High and Mighty ColorLaunched from Okinawa, Japanese rock band High and Mighty Color has recently released its 5th album, entitled SWAMP MAN. Very popular on the Japanese rock scene, the band has contributed several theme songs to anime series in-cluding “Darker than BLACK” and “Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny: Special Edition.” High and Mighty Color seems to have tweaked its sound after adding new lead singer Halca. Track number 4, “Eyes,” has an amazing feel-good vibe with well played guitar riffs that make this song a hit. Another good listen is track 5: “Fly Me to the Other Moon.” The song kicks off with a really upbeat soulful groove and just builds and builds, producing a very rhythmic song while retaining the bands trademark rock sound. Info: www.japanfiles.com/highandmightycolor


EVENTS

Local News and Events

35th Annual Seattle Cherry Blossom &Japanese Cultural FestivalExplore Seattle’s deep connections with JapanWhen: April 16-18, 10 am - 6 pmWhere: Seattle Center: Fisher Pavilion and Center HouseAdmission: Free

The festival was started in 1976 when Japan gave Seattle 1,000 cherry trees to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Unit-ed States. Now one of the larg-est Japanese cultural events, it features over 100 displays and demonstrations. From the booms of taiko drums to the

silence of ikebana flowers, the event is a feast for the senses. Delicious Japanese food, tea ceremony demonstrations and artwork present both a modern and ancient view of this complex culture. This year’s special focus is “Youth – Skateboarding – Hapa Experience.” Japanese and Seattle local skateboarders will perform ninja-like acrobatics at the new Seattle Center skate park on Saturday.

Trash Fashion Show at Miyabi Sushion Earth DaySushi + Trash Fashion = EcoWhen: April 22Where: Miyabi Sushi, 16820 Southcenter Parkway, TukwilaAdmission: $27 for Dinner & Trash Fashion ShowCall 206-575-6815 (Miyabi Sushi) to reserve your seats.

To celebrate earth day, join Miyabi’s trash fashion show. Co-owner of Miyabi, Hisako, is a member of “Haute Trash (http://www.hautetrash.org)” and has been organizing many different delightful runway shows of haute couture created entirely from society’s rubbish. Twice a year, she hosts the show at her own restaurant. Unwant-ed and cast off items that would otherwise make their way to the landfill are expertly worked into garments that rival the hottest Paris fashions. Enjoy this unique fashion show with premium saké and haute sushi dinner pre-pared by executive chef, Masa.

Ikebana on Mother’s DayCreate a beautiful flower arrangement for your motherWhen: May 8th & 9thWhere: Swansons Nursery, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., SeattleAdmission: $25, including plant materials

Master ikebana artist, Megumi Schacher, teaches Ikebana Japanese flower arrangement on Mother’s Day weekend. She uses local materi-als in an accessible style that is appropriate in any setting. Surprise your mother with an exotic and beautiful flower arrangement.Info: http://www.ikebanabymegumi.com

<< Hisako’s trash fashion was picked by “Ripley’s Be-lieve it or not 2010.” This kimono dress is made from unagi packages and food boxes from Miyabi Sushi restaurant.

Sakura-Con 2010Seattle’s largest anime conventionWhen: April 2nd - 4thWhere: Washington State Convention and Trade Center, SeattleAdmission: $30-40/day, $60/full day. Pre-register by March 8th to recieve discount. Children age 6-12 receive 50% discount with their family.

Presented by the Asia Northwest Cultural Education Association, Sakura-Con is the oldest and most well attended anime convention in the Pacific Northwest. Member attendance for Sakura-Con 2009 was over 16,000. The huge event has anime theaters, gaming, cosplay, cultural panels, dances, concerts, art contests, over 100,000 square feet of exhibits hall, guests of honor and more!*If you are under 18, please remember to bring your signed parent permission form with you to registration.Info: http://www.sakuracon.org


Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle - Westfield Southcenter

The Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle chain has arrived! The first in the Seattle area, the brand new store in Westfield Southcenter mall is the 19th store of California-based Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle. They have a variety of Japan-related products from anime DVDs to kimonos. The store has already attracted many teenagers and families with young children since they opened their doors. Kawaii (cute) Hello Kitty items and ki-mono-patterned wallets are pop-ular among girls, while boys are picking up Gundam robots and Naruto figures. Moms are able to find handy small kitchen tools. Store manager Kohyo explains, “Our store staff are all Japanese. Please feel free to ask them ques-tions if you find some products unfamiliar and you have no idea how to use them.” They are planning to open stores in Olympia and Tacoma this spring.

633 Westfield Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA 98188Tel: (206) 241-0219

NEWLYOPENED

Fumie’s Gold — Bellevue DowntownJapanese female pâtissier Fumie opened this Euro-Japanese-style to-go-only cake & coffee store a few steps from a Bellevue downtown park. It has been a Japanese mom’s favorite place to stop by after play-ing with their kids across the street in the park. Located at 10045 NE 1st St Ste CU2, Bellevue. Tel: (425) 223-5893

Genki Sushi - RentonA new Genki Sushi store recently opened in February, conveniently located next to Uwajimaya store in Renton. Stop by this quick and affordable sushi restaurant while on your way to Uwajimaya. Located at 365 S. Grady Way Ste. B & C, Renton Tel: (425) 277-1050

Is there a Japanese related news story or event you would like to share?Drop us a line: [email protected]

Unicorn Crepes — SouthcenterFrench crepes delivered in hip Harajuku style. The very popu-lar Unicorn Japanese-style crepes store in the International District opened a second store inside West-field Southcenter mall. Stop in and try one of the many flavors of crepes. Located at 738 Westfield Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA 98188. Tel: (206) 243-6236

Stuffed toys are some of the most popular items at Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle.

A vast selection of action fig-ures and anime collectibles.

These are funny shaped erasers. You will find unique stationery selections not seen outside of Japan.

Affordable T-shirts and caps in their apparel section. Kimono, Yukata and Geta (Japanese sandals) can be also found.

IBUKI is looking for sales reps in Portland. If interested in, please con-tact us at: [email protected]


A. DVD and Poster gift set of: “20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End” & “20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope”

Answer a short 10 question survey and be entered to win collectors items!

Visit: http://www.ibukimagazine.com/surveys

ENTER TO WIN

*One entry per household/name/email. To be qualified to enter you must include your name, address and telephone number for winner noti-fication purposes. A name will be drawn at random and will be notified via email. The prizes will be shipped to the winner in May. Please visit our website for detailed information: http://www.ibukimagazine.com/surveys

B. “Dragon Ball Z DVD BOX Vol.1”

<< ONE person can win Dragon Ball Z DVD BOX Vol.1. The Dragon Box features over 40 uncut episodes, remastered and restored frame by frame, rendering the legendary action in pristine clarity. Each episode is presented in Japanese or English with the complete opening and closing credits and includes the original episode previews. Vol. 1 contains epi-sodes 001-042.

© 1999, 2006, Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts / Shogakukan © 2008/2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

© BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION. Film © 1989 TOEI ANIMA-TION CO., LTD. Licensed by FUNimation™ Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and all logos, character names and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of SHUEISHA, INC.

<< THREE persons can win DVD and Poster gift sets for 20th Century Boys 1 & 2. This trilogy is based on very populer manga com-ics by Urasawa Naoki, the block-buster “20th Century Boys.” Col-lect the first two before the third one is released in this summer. (see a review article on p.26.)

NABE OTAKU UMESHU GINZA MAIKO IZAKAYA RAMEN PONZU DASHI MANGA


NEXT ISSUE

SHOCHU AOYAMA ANIME TOKYO TOFU SHABU-SHABU TENPURA SUKIYAKI SUSHI SAKURA OISHII UMAMI TAIKO KYOTO SAKE SASHIMI SYOYU KAISEKI

NABE OTAKU UMESHU GINZA MAIKO IZAKAYA RAMEN PONZU DASHI MANGA

Coming May 10th

Look for our May /Jun issue distributed at most fine Japanese restaurants,

stores and schools.

ibuki magazine vol.04 maarch & april 2010

Documents

pop japanese pop culture

popthe new wave of j

century japanese powerhouses

jpop spreads

new movies

japanese novelist

japanese film

japan airlines