Human Magazine - Issue #06 by Ian Irving - The Creator of Human Magazine - Revelations in Modern Business and Culture

___ SUMMER 2019

ISSUE #06 R EVELATIONS IN MODERN BUS INESS A ND CULTURE

human. (N)OODLES TO DO IN TOKYO T H E S O F T P O W E R O F J A PA N E S E G A S T R O N O M Y W E I R D N E S S , A 1 , 4 0 0 - Y E A R - O L D C O M PA N Y , A N D B A K E D P O TAT O K I T K AT

人間 human.

THE

TEA

IRV

EMILY

JAMES

IZZI

___the team

AM Editor-in-Chief Ian (IRV) Irving

Editors

Emily Perryment James Dutton

Creative Director Izzi Glover

Contributing Writers Bryce Main, Marcus Freeman, Ian (IRV) Irving, David De La Torre, Aiste Miseviciute, Chris Henry, Charlotte Martin, Guy Anderson and Paul Goldsmith

Photography:

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recovering, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publishers. Although the greatest care has been taken to ensure all of the information contained in Human is as accurate as possible, neither the publishers nor the authors can accept any responsibility for damage, of any nature, resulting from the use of this information. The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Human. Rights owned by Kemosabe.

12-27 28-39

12_The Soft Power of Japanese Gastronomy

20_Japanese Denim: The Osaka Five 28_Weirdness, A 1,400-Year-Old Company and Baked Potato Kit Kat

40-45

34_Motorcycle Shokunin 40_Mori Beer: How I Got Here

48_A Conversation with @m

48-59 60-63 64-

52_(N)oodles to do in To

54_Tokyo Travel Jo 60_Mobility

64_Syn

72_

CONTEN 6

___contents

martinlelapin

9 3 -71

okyo

ournal

Matters Music

_A Movement Set to Rocket 76_Tattoo Guy: My Japanese Inspiration

6-87

80_Japan: The Home of Rugby

NTS Front Cover and Illustration @martinlelapin

Editor's Note Welcome to Issue #6, which focuses on all things Japan. As Kemosabe prepares itself for the launch of our Japan division in the coming months, we felt it only right to share what gets us excited about Japan and its consistently fascinating culture. We have been delivering campaigns for a multitude of Japanese brands over the past three years and we’ve made some fascinating discoveries along the way. In this issue we talk food, production, business, culture, design, sport and the makers and artisans that lead the market with Japan’s famous attention to detail. It’s a cracking issue and I thank all of our writers, designers and readers.

IRV. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

___editors note

FAITHFUL FRIEN TRUSTY SCOUT.

ND, .

r e w o P t f The So e s e n a p of Ja y m o n o r Gast

your mind? comes into at h of w , d o fo ver a wedge panese o Ja d f e o p k ra d in n th with tofu When you striped praw y miso soup d d and white u re lo c g f in o n l te w is A gl aps a bo ce? Or perh vinegar-ed ri om? d at the bott cubes settle mpura have ramen or te i, sh su , d e rn e ’t always food is conc hés that don c se li c e – an p d Ja rl o n e w Wh estern also don't hés in the W cuisine. They e se e an p become clic Ja f om around th epth o fr d fs e e h th c e d at an ic n commu itions. ow foodies cooking trad uestion of h q se e e th an r p e Ja sw y b an ed een so inspir world have b

By specialisi techniques a continuous im chefs manage class results I was first attracted to Japan by its exquisite food, but my enduring attachment developed through a passion for the country’s culture, language and people. As I discovered different elements of Japanese cuisine, I realised that what fascinated me as much as the food were the people behind it – their hard work and their dedication. As Masaharu Morimoto says,

“Japanese chefs believe our soul goes into our knives once we start using them.”

料理

I’ve come to believe that all good cooking is a reflection of the chef ’s spirit. Likewise, every restaurant, every dish and every ingredient has a human story behind it. For me, one of the best ways to discover a foreign culture is through eating. Each country or region’s gastronomy reflects not only the climate, nature, or terroir of that place, but also its history and social customs. The Japanese idea of ‘kaizen’, or continuous improvement, is a deeply rooted social concept that can be felt even in the kitchen — chefs will spend years perfecting a single technique before they will allow themselves to be considered good at it. For example, a sushi master’s apprentice will only be allowed to perform low kitchen tasks for years before they are allowed to handle the fish. Discipline reigns as well, ensuring that each task is given the time it deserves.

This is often with the chocolate cake (the b in my life was at Ken’s deep fried vegetables the chef-owner of a t 7-chome Kyoboshi th stars in the Michelin g disappeared from the

How did Shige to do this wi

By practicing his craft temperature and dur out the best in each i only the freshest, high batter, which is so thin

As well as the special respect to them is a c Japanese chefs go to changing seasons. On through kaiseki, a mul 16th century tea cere several forms of Japan Imperial Court, Buddh ceremony, and samur on a series of bite-siz highlight local seasona of the chef ’s talent.

努グひ力ルらメめき

ing in certain and committing to mprovement, Japanese e to achieve world s.

e most commonplace foods, be it best runny chocolate cake I’ve had s Cafe in Shinjuku), coffee, or simply s. I’m talking about Shigeya Sakakibara, tiny tempura counter in Tokyo called hat, a few years ago, received three guide (and then later mysteriously e guide…)

eya Sakakibara manage ith deep fried food?

t for most of his life. By mastering the ation of deep frying required to bring ingredient, by painstakingly selecting hest quality products, by perfecting his n it’s practically translucent.

lisation, excellent ingredients and critical element of Japanese cooking. extreme lengths to celebrate the ne can’t find a better example than lti-course meal that has its roots in emonies. Modern kaiseki combines nese haute gastronomy: that of the hist temples, the aforementioned tea rai culture. A kaiseki menu is based zed appetiser-like dishes, which each al ingredients, providing a showcase

Takashi Saito Source: Luxeat

omakase

Kaiseki and omakase (“leave it to the chef”) concepts

have enormously influenced chefs and restaurants around the world. More and more restaurants in Europe and the United States have obliterated their à la carte menus entirely and are instead serving multiple course tasting menus crafted from fresh market produce. Many Western chefs believe that they can learn a lot from the presentation and cooking techniques used in the Japanese art of gastronomy,

Kaiseki

懐石

And Many travel to Japan just to get an inspiration…

Japan’s attractiveness to the Western world has grown in the last several decades. Perhaps this is because Western society is becoming more and more health conscious, returning to a foundation of fresh, seasonal and light cooking that Japanese cuisine has maintained for hundreds of years. If Japan has played a key role in the history of great food, it is also shaping its future — a future which we have the pleasure to experience with every fine meal we eat. Aiste Miseviciute www.luxeat.com @luxeat

おまかせ 17

MARCUS FREEMAN

JAPANESE DENIM 20

There is something comforting about the words “made in Japan”. There's also something quite mysterious about the phrase too. It’s as if ‘made in Japan’ is code for high quality, made with care, and just damn good. The Japanese just do it better when it comes to everything – well, that’s what I think. Yes, there is a hype around Japan and everything that comes with it, especially when it comes to fashion. But I won’t be talking fashion today… I’ll be talking denim. Japanese denim. How did Japanese denim become the denim we know it as today? To the untrained human that most likely owns a pair of blue jeans, Japanese denim is just another ‘thing’ in the world of fashion. To the well-informed quality goods enthusiast, styleconscious person, or denim head, Japanese denim is the holy grail of the blue world. Mikiharu Tsujita, founder and president of Fullcount, explains: "Your jeans will eventually become part of your life. Vintage jeans are cool because they are dwelled not only in a physical aspect but also feelings and emotions.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Such highquality denim that lasts so long and is made with impeccable attention to detail becomes more than a product. Raw denim jeans continuously capture memories of the wearer. Each fade, wear mark, tear, stain, and repair has its very own bit of character. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their jeans. I’m sure there is a much deeper mystical back story than the one I’m about to rattle off, but this one is the one I know, the one I believe, and the one I think is probably the coolest.

The Osaka Five The Osaka Five are a conglomerate of five denim brands. Fullcount, Evisu, Studio D’Artisan, Denime, and Warehouse. These Japanese denim brands essentially pioneered the industry of today. Earlier I mentioned that the words ‘made in Japan’ have a slight mysterious awe around them, I think it has something to do with these five. You have to ask yourself, why would five Japanese denim brands take it upon themselves to reinvent the way things are done in the world of denim? Some say it was because Osaka had convenient production facilities suitable for denim — facilities for weaving, cutting and sewing. Others say Osaka was teaming with vintage stores, heavily influenced by American Military style, and had the kind of clientele that did not need to be convinced to buy products like selvedge denim. It’s all a bit of a mish-mash when it comes to the Osaka Five’s origins. Mystery, quality, a bunch of cool dudes, and bloody good taste — the world needs more gents like the founders of the Osaka Five. Oh, I almost forgot the other legend that is tied to the birth of the Osaka Five. Apparently, a large number of vintage Draper shuttle looms were abandoned by Cone Denim and imported to Japan. If you’re not familiar with what a Draper Shuttle Loom is, then I’m sure you’ve heard of Levi's. Well, those are the exact same looms that were used to weave Levi's Selvedge denim 50s and 60s. To cut a long story short, five dudes saw a gap in the market due to the popularity of denim in Japan. They also thought denim wasn’t being produced in the way they thought it should be. Brands were focused on quantity and not quality, so these guys stepped up and the rest is history.

Studio D'Artisan

The inception of the Osaka Five dates back to 1979. Shigeharu Tagaki founded his label, Studio D’Artisan, on the premise of bringing Parisian haute couture thinking into the world of highquality Japanese denim. Tagaki set out on a mission with one goal in mind. To reproduce authentic jeans similar to styles from the 1960s. Before launching Studio D’Artisan, Tagaki had been working for Pierre Cardin in Paris. This is where the idea of starting his own brand came to fruition. Tagaki used vintage designs as references for his original pieces. This became a huge success for the brand. It’s fair to say Studio D’Artisan are known for doing their own thing. Trends, fashion, and mainstream weren't on Studio D’Artisan’s radar. They went against the grain even when sales were down. Tagaki was adamant that the brand remained within the region of extremely detailed Americana style garments. This really does show how important the overall brand and product values are to their creator. You just don’t get this with many other brands. There is emotion like no other when it comes to Japanese denim. Vintage denim had its return in the 90s, and Studio D’Artisan set the standards for high-end denim.

DENIME Founded in 1988 by Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Denime started out by producing the cleanest, most traditional interpretations of vintage denim jeans. Denime couldn’t have done a better job of capturing the true ethos of the Osaka denim revolution. To this day Denime is still committed to developing fashionforward translations of classic American cuts. Just like other highly sought-after brands from this era, the Levi’s 501 had a slight influence on how things panned out. Yoshiyuki Hayashi built up a strong reputation for influencing and driving a new generation of denim enthusiasts – ‘denim heads’ – on the appeal of vintage selvedge denim. Throughout the 90s, Denime mastered their craft and released high-quality accessible products to their dedicated community. The vintage (or should we say retro) movement hit an all-time high in the mid-2000s. Unfortunately, Denime were under fire and weren’t in the best of positions. Luckily enough for Denime, Hitoshi Tsujimoto stepped up to the plate and pulled it all back together. If you’ve ever heard of a brand called The Real McCoy’s, well… that’s Tsujimoto’s brainchild. Tsujimoto purchased Denime through his well-known retail chain Nylon, and it was not long after Hayashi departed from Denime that he founded the brand Resolute.

22 Studio D'Artisan

Evisu

Denime

Evisu

Evisu could very well be the most well-known denim brand from the Osaka Five. Well, at least in the commercial world they are. Founder Hidehiko Yamane’s focus exceeded the classic heritage Americana style and pushed contemporary boundaries. Yamane is a tailor by trade, a denim enthusiast at heart, and one of the leading figures responsible for the 1990s Japanese denim boom. The commercial rise of Levi’s in the 80s and lack in quality denim was somewhat a catalyst for Yamane to kickstart Evisu. In 1991, Yamane and talented friend/colleague Mikiharu Tsujita (founder of Fullcount) decided to get the ball rolling with their own brand, Evisu. There was no stopping the duo. They became a powerhouse in the blue world, expanding far and wide and becoming one of the most successful denim brands around the globe. One of the most recognisable details of Evisu jeans is their handprinted gull-wing arcuates – an iconic symbol in the world of denim. Evisu established itself as a multi-tier fashion brand, and Yamane’s creations found their way into the streetwear scene. If you thought influencer marketing was big now, well, just think about what would happen to your brand if hiphop legends Jay-Z and Lil Wayne decided to represent it. This is exactly what happened to Evisu, and the brand rapidly exploded and grew from strength to strength.

Evisu

So, the story behind the name Evisu is one to remember. Yamane first named the brand ‘Evis’ – kinda rings a bell. Stick an L on the front and you’ve got the magic word, Levi's. On the other hand, Yamane wanted to link the name to his own heritage. Ebisu is the Japanese god of prosperity, so it made perfect sense to merge his denim inspiration and Japanese culture into one. It wasn’t long before Levi’s cottoned on and legally forced a name change. That’s when the name Evisu was set in stone.

FULLCOUNT Fullcount has got to be one of my favourite brands in the world. They just do things right. Mikiharu Tsujita is the mastermind behind the Fullcount brand, famous for sourcing the finest Zimbabwean cotton for his creations. He was one of the first to do this. The rationale behind the Zimbabwean cotton choice was that it had very similar characteristics to 1940s American cotton. Fullcount being Fullcount, and Tsujita being a top-notch creative, he knew after trial and error that combining the long-staple nature of the Zimbabwean cotton yarns and weaving his fabric on a 1960s shuttle loom would result in his ideal vision: a near perfect interpretation of the iconic Levi's XX leather patch jeans from his own perspective. Tsujita plays a key role in the denim world of today. He is a born leader, innovator, and true creative. Before Fullcount was brought to life, Tsujita co-founded Evisu with Hidehiko Yamane. You can now see why the Osaka Five brands are insanely good at what they do. Tsujita describes the idea behind his brand as creating jeans that “feel so good that you don’t want to take them off until you get in bed.” WAREHOUSE & Co. Kenichi and Kenji Shiotani (the twins) founded Warehouse & Co in 1995 and have been making high-quality garments ever since. The duo previously worked under Mr. Yamane at Evisu, together with Tsujita of Fullcount. They were the last of the five to form. The Warehouse & Co brand was built on the twins’ original ideas with a nod toward vintage jeans. Warehouse & Co denim were renowned for their interesting take on the denim fabric; their original fabrics were woven with intertwined threads, giving them a different quality from more conventional denim and the brand was particularly careful to sew their jeans with a certain number of stitches per inch. Known for their meticulous detail, yellow line selvedge and considered construction, Warehouse have successfully and respectfully reproduced garments previously consigned to history. Warehouse produces some of the finest denim garments in the world today. And it doesn’t stop there.They have a full range of quality goods including sneakers, sweats, and tees.

Fullcount

Kenichi and Kenji Shiotani

Warehouse

Warehouse The Osaka Five essentially laid the foundations for Japanese denim brands of today. To even comprehend that a group of 5 brands engineered what we call the denim world of today (notably, the selvedge denim world) is absolutely amazing. But, the even more amazing aspect of this whole ordeal is this… The Osaka Five is a name that not one of the companies recognises themselves as part of today. Hisatani of Studio D’Artisan states “honestly, we don’t even actually use that term in Japan.” "We know we’re talked about as being part of that,” says Warehouse’s Kenji and Kenichi Shiotani, “but we can’t offer any comment beyond that because, well, we don’t really understand it. But, yes, we feel honoured to be called part of the Osaka Five.”

Mikiharu Tsujita

Marcus Freeman @thebrutesupply

- World of Denim, Designed for Life -

the recycled denim collection

@soortyenterprises

www.soorty.com

REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE. RELOVE. REPURPOSE.

Soorty presents

@soortyenterprisesofficial

Source: The New York Times

I'VE

LIKED

Sometimes I positively love it. Weird reminds me that the ordinary and the everyday are the enemies of creativity. Wacky should never be dismissed with just a cursory glance or vague thought. Usual is far more interesting with an ‘un’ at the front of it. That’s why, although I like clever advertising and creative advertising, memorable advertising and effective advertising, humorous advertising and emotional advertising… I also like weird advertising. Not just the weird kind produced (occasionally) by ad agencies in the Far (and near) West. Also the weird kind produced (very often) by those in the Far East. Specifically, Japan. A country that, weirdly, has more pets than children under the age of 15… and, even back in 2012, had more than 50,000 people living longer than a century. A country that was home to the construction company Kongō Gumi Co., Ltd., the oldest continuously operating independent company in the history of the planet. Run by members of the same family… for 40 generations. That’s 1,400 bloody years! A country whose advertising is weird… and big… and bold… and loud… and brash… and fun… and colourful… and over the top… and themed… and surreal… and EVERYWHERE! Think of cool, classic Zen minimalism… and then think of running very fast in the opposite direction towards something completely different.

OPPORTU

興奮 32

BREATH BOREDOM

UNITY

STIMULATION. What’s more, it’s as different from western advertising as anime is from Walt Disney cartoons. And then there’s the food. Not the Japanese food, although that in itself is all kinds of sublime. No. I’m talking about the 200-plus flavours of familiar-shaped candy bars available in the land of the rising (and lowering) sun.

EXCITEMENT.

ALL Kit Kat. Every last one of them.

It sped up time.

In fact you could ‘have a break’ every day for the next six months and still not munch on the same flavoured Kit Kat twice.

On March 11th 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook the shit out of north-eastern Japan, the effects of which were felt all around the world.

And how about this...

The quake shifted the Earth’s axis by 10 to 23 centimetres.

A few years ago, Japan took weird to a whole new level.

All Kit Kat.

It did something (completely unintentionally) that no other country has ever come close to doing. And never will. Something that has already affected every single living creature on the face of the Earth.

I’ll say that again.

And always will.

From baked potato, soy sauce, fruit parfait, and sakura green tea… to lemon cheese cake, ginger ale, wasabi, and a couple of hundred more.

Increased the rotational speed of the planet. And shortened every day by a whole 1.8 microseconds. Except perhaps Mondays, which some folk say have remained as long and drawn-out as they’ve always been… Bryce Main

オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人オートバイ職人 34

オ｜トバイ MOTORCYC

'SHOKUNIN' IS A JAPA ROUGHLY, A MASTER O As an avid fan of the Café Racer culture (and being in the process of building my own bike) I have been following the work of Heiwa and its founder & designer Kengo Kimura for a number of years.

Born in Hiroshima, a son of parents and grandparents who were also born in the port city, Kimura studied economics at the University of Hiroshima until the opportunity of a part-time job at a local motorcycle shop called A. Beard derailed his interest in academia. Kimura had long owned and customised older British bikes, with a strong preference for old classic Triumphs. It later became evident that his bosses at A. Beard didn’t share his interest in design and customisation. So, frustrated after nine years of prepping new bikes and repairing old ones, he opened his own shop, Heiwa. The company name means ‘peace’, a rallying post-nuclear cry for world harmony – the immense green space at ground zero for the American atomic bomb attack in August 1945 is called Heiwa Park. The boulevard approaching it is Heiwa Boulevard and the pigeon is its symbol, the now synonymous logo of the Kimura’s brand. Heiwa Motorcycles produce all manner of drop-dead gorgeous ‘bobbers’ and have delivered some stunners – but fans never see them coming. The brand seems to have the ability to drop custom motorcycles out of thin air; they do this with very little pomp or ceremony, especially if you compare them to the American and European shops. Each bike they deliver leaves many a jaw on the floor and the silent mime of “What the fuck is that?”. In my humble opinion there is none better than one of my recent favourites to date, a gorgeous lowslung 1981 BMW R100 bobber.

ANESE WORD THAT MEANS, OF ONE'S PROFESSION.

Source: Pipeburn

CLE SHOKUNIN 37

Unusually for the shop, this latest boxer came to their workshop as a pre-customised bike – which is a rare sight in Japan. The BMW ‘R’ range is relatively uncommon and, especially customised, are a rare sight on the café racer scene because they tend to be kept stock and as original as possible. I read that the original customisation was not the best, so I guess if you have started the process and are already on the journey of customisation, why not turn to the quality of Kengo Kimura and his team. How strange that less than a year ago I had the pleasure of working with another Kimura-san, a ‘shokunin’ in the art of aged sushi. These artisans believe that the process matters just as much as the outcome – they take great pride in their work and honouring their chosen craft.

“KENGO IS AND WOU

So, it comes as no surprise that with the engine completed and ready to last another eight million miles, the crew turned their attention to the motorcycle’s aesthetic with Kengo Kimura’s fabled design skills. I have read on a number of occasions that Kengo is famously a man of very few words and would rather focus on his craft.

Source: Pipeburn

S FAMOUSLY A MAN OF VERY FEW WORDS ULD RATHER FOCUS ON HIS CRAFT”

All of this is evident in the pipework on his BMW bobber – it’s a masterclass in exhaust design and mirrors the lines of the frame like a muthafucker! It’s a thing of beauty. The bike has been dropped, lifted, tweaked, twisted, lowered and tidied up considerably in the way only a shokunin could. A new headlight, gauge assembly, indicators, brake light and rear fender all help to give this beauty a truly unique stance. One of my favourite touches is the red seat; it’s rare to see this type of detail on any bike in the café racer world, and this rare splash of colour harks back to the early BMW GS models, even nodding to some of their more contemporary 80s and 90s bikes. I think that this, like many things I have personally experienced with Japanese culture, is an example of a craft that has utter perfection at its core and in its DNA. What’s not to like? Irv Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Source: Pipeburn

David De La Torre Founder and Craft Beer Drinker

日本のビ｜ル

Funnily my ear every beers

How I myself since M same a

We ar that su others percen

As a g – but w It take Perfec trips to discov (broth some volcan the ot helps a drinkin Spain,

Any ra in orde terms

HOW I GOT HERE

y enough, I never liked what I thought beer was until rly 20s. Now, I am walking a good bunch of miles week trying to introduce my Japanese brewed to the leading bars and restaurants in London.

I got here is probably the question I have asked f and been asked the most in the last 14 months Mori1984 was created, and all routes lead to the answer – it is all about water.

re all water – the human being, everything urround us, we drink water (some more than s), and everything we eat is water in more or less ntage.

good Spaniard, I like my paella properly cooked what makes a good paella other than the rice? es a great broth, and what makes a great broth? ctly pristine quality soft water, nothing else. My o Japan and my great passion for food made me ver a long time ago that Japanese makes “Dashi” h) unlike any other cuisine in the world. Japan has of the softest water on earth; I guess being a nic island with just 30% of the land habitable means ther 70% are forest, mountains, etc... which really a good bit. We know mountains help create great ng water, just think a bit… Scotland, Canada, North just to name a few.

aw ingredient you boil (brew) requires soft water er to penetrate to the core of the ingredient. In of beer, this is the malt & hops.

To give you a picture of my philosophy with a small home-cooking experiment, try to cook a simple risotto (which we all love) with the same recipe specs and ingredients, but one with tap water, and the other with your favourite bottled water brand. The results are mesmerising. Now imagine Scotland producing those famous whiskies without their great water and you’ll begin to understand what’s in my mind. As mentioned before, I never liked what I thought beer was until my early 20s because I thought all beer tasted the same. I found them all extremely boring and filling, until I met some Irish friends studying in Manchester who introduced me to real local pubs. Nowadays, we call them hidden gems, filled with real ale drinkers. I got a taste for those flat, room temperature brews pumped by one of those cool looking pumps, and in seven days my conversion to drinking what we call today craft beers was made. Without going into too much into detail, I found myself traveling to Japan 3-4 times a year, discovering their countryside, drinking sake, and eating in great izakayas. On one of my business trips I met an extremely affable Japanese man who turned out to be one of the pioneers of craft beer making in Japan. Years later and after a good number of visits to his region, we ended up challenging ourselves to create beers in Japan, combining my own view of beer making in western countries with Japanese craftsmanship and soft water.

THE HIGHS

Hitting the ground and meeting the peop day will be selling or recommending your greatly rewarding, and receiving their feed constructive when making good use of it your brand.

Doing product sampling or tasting in reta you to connect with the end side of the customer. It is a great feeling introducing and finding out whether a person has ap efforts and buys your product.

THE LOWS The beer industry distribution channels are an extreme challenge for small brands, and despite being aware of this, I never knew how hard the reality would be. I have never believed in luck, but instead I have relied on statistics, so I thought the more places I visit, the more chances of selling beer I have. I was wrong, deeply wrong. The number of samples we dropped was poorly forecasted — I didn’t know how many of those samples would get lost in transit, or, despite being urgently requested samples, clients would then take ages to give feedback or wouldn't reply to emails or phone calls at all. This forced me to re-think and approach the market differently. Having a positive mindset when dealing with these two situations is key, and the sooner you overcome them, the better. Re-think your strategy and politely refuse dropping samples – instead offer to bring them chilled and try them together, then at least you can get real feedback from your products.

I get to change shoes often – I once hear renowned wine-maker in Spain that once completed your brews then “tienes que zapatilla y a vender”, which pretty much t out and burn-out your shoe soles selling” means go out and walk miles introducing to people, because the more samples yo more people you meet, the more luck of products out there. I have stuck to that p Mori1984 became a reality; I need to tak shoes for sole replacement every 4 mon totally get flattened out.

Brewing beer in Japan gives us a unique e our beers well balanced – brewing weste Japan with their soft water is very reward

ple who one r beer is dback is always t and developing

ail shops allows supply chain, the your philosophy ppreciated your

rd from a e you have salir a quemar translates to “go ”. In reality, this g your brews ou drop and the f listing your principle since ke my pair of nths as my heels

edge and makes ern style beers in ding.

"BREWING BEER IN JAPAN GIVES US A UNIQUE EDGE AND MAKES OUR BEERS WELL BALANCED"

WHAT'S NEXT

I am currently redesigning my strategy for 2020, focusing on finding beer distributors out there to help us build volume and bring down our logistic costs – shipping from Japan in a refrigerated container takes up a particularly large chunk of our costs. Since we only produce bottled beer at the moment, I would like to gather feedback from existing distributors and new ones coming onboard to create our draught line-up. We are ready in the brewery and we have run samples with great results, but our next challenge is finding distributors that will help us to route our brews into local pubs. With lots of beer festivals and tradeshows in mind, I just have to be careful selecting the most suitable for our brand’s development.

A DREAM

I would like to keep on doing what I am doing. Despite the hard work and some of the letdowns along the way, I am finding my job extremely satisfying and don’t want to give up. I want to find Mori1984 listed in the best craft beer bars around the world – why not?

A REQUEST TO THE BEER INDUSTRY

Open up a bit. We are a good bunch of people behind trying our best every day with diverse philosophies, making this more exciting for the end consumers.

A REQUEST TO THE FINAL CONSUMER

Give us try, drop us feedback later – we want to listen and help develop the brand together.

David De La Torre Founder and Craft Beer Drinker www.mori1984.beer @mori1984beer

EAST MEETS WEST INTRODUCING NEW LUXURY FIRST CLASS AND BUSINESS CLASS CABINS

ANA, Japan’s largest 5-Star airline*, have collaborated with famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and British designers Acumen to create new First Class ‘THE Suite’ and Business Class ‘THE Room’, debuting on the direct daily London–Tokyo route. Inspired by Japanese heritage and British design, the new luxury cabins are each complete with a private door, large 4K monitor and specially crafted dining facilities. ‘THE Room’ also now offers double the seat width compared to previous Business Class seats, creating unrivalled space in harmony with ANA’s award winning 5-Star service — connecting you in comfort to over 50 destinations across Japan and beyond.

We Are Japan. ana.co.uk

#WeAreJapan

By passenger numbers across all Japanese carriers

a conversation with @martin

Could you tell us more about your Hai Hiragana cards? Hai Hiragana cards work by turning the Japanese alphabet into illustrations of Japanese words that start with the character. It's a bit like 'a' is for apple but instead you get 'ka' for karate or 'su' for sushi.

What inspired you to create them? Myself and my boyfriend Lewis have been studying Japanese for the past year. The cards are basically everything we wish weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d known when we started learning. I come from an educational design background, designing a lot of flashcards to teach different subjects. While we were learning we found it really helped to doodle shapes to remember, so it made sense to turn these into flash cards to pass this knowledge on and inspire others to learn.

What was the process behind making them?

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Our methodology is to only use Japanese words to help people adjust to the language faster. We start by listing out all the characters and thinking of common and useful words that start with each character. Next, we start doodling trying to make the character visually look like the associated word. That's the hard part out of the way, next we make up a little phrase to help remember the sound and how to pronounce it. Once we finished designing them, we tested some samples over a weekend at Hyper Japan to see what people said about them. It was very nice to see how positive people reacted and we decided to go ahead with the project.

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What first drew you towards a love for Japan? My love for Japan came pretty late in my life. As an illustrator I discovered more and more about the traditional side of the culture and wanted to know about paper making, printing processes etc... I went there for the first time as part of my 25th birthday and wasn't disappointed. I found the country even more intriguing than I was expecting and have wanted to go back ever since.

Are there any Japanese artists or styles that have influenced you? I love the old Japanese woodblock prints, and find the Erotica ones very funny. When you consider that they date from the Edo period it was quite provocative to see these around! I also love Yayoi Kusama and would really want to go to Naoshima to see her big pumpkins next time I go. TeamLab is also a collective I like to follow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they play with light and projection installations and the result every time is just breath-taking. In terms of style, I like to mix some Western influences with my minimalist style that recalls Japanese culture.

ere anywhere in Japan youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never n before that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to visit?

any places! I watch Terrace House, and really to visit Karuizawa and the Japanese Alps now. It oks so pretty and peaceful. I am also a whisky siast (my dad is passionate, and my sister is a ogist) so visiting the Nikka and Hibiki distilleries nitely on my to do list!

Charlotte Martin Le Lapin Illustrator and Designer Instagram: @martinlelapin www.martinlelapin.com

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CHARLOTTE MARTIN Map of Tokyo

1. Ghibli museum

1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka Beautiful and inspiring museum whether you’re a fan or not (yet). Be sure to book well in advance before your trip as tickets sell out fast! A nice touch, the ticket is a piece of film roll for you to keep.

2. Design Festa Gallery

3 Chome-20-18 Jingumae, Harajuku A small building with scaffold artwork on the outside is filled with small rooms for local artists to show and sell their work. You get to meet and sometimes share a beer with them to discuss their art.

3. Tokyu Hands

12-18 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku As a design geek this is one of my personal favourite shops to visit, there are many chains but this is the best one. Hand craft work is very popular in Japan and this multi-leveled store is filled with all you need as well as inexpensive souvenirs.

4. Muji

3-8-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku There are many in Tokyo but this one is split over multiple levels which are well organised by department and even has a food section and cafe.

5. Traveler's Factory

3-13-10 Kamimeguro, Meguro This gem houses high quality goods with a travelers theme. Set in the building of a former paper processing factory, it offers stationery, books and customisable products.

6. Itoya

2 Chome-7-15 Ginza, Chuo A gigantic department store ideal for all the paper lovers. There is a lovely café at the top which is supplied with fresh veg from their own hydroponic farm which you can visit.

7. Papier Tigre

3 Chome-10-4 Nihonbashihamacho, Chuo A new addition to the stationery list, Papier Tigre has everything for that French vibe with a Japanese touch for nice quirky paper goods.

8. Sekaido Shinjuku

3-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Thousands of pens, brushes, inks, paints and papers make this an artist’s paradise.

9. Loft

12-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku Giant cogs spinning the word Loft welcome you into an emporium for a wide variety of gifts. They have great cards and cool products making it great for souvenir hunting.

10. Tea House

5-1-2 Minamiaoyama, Shibuya Possibly the prettiest café in all of Tokyo. Located at the back of a charming flower shop, this tea salon is ideal to recharge from a long day of sightseeing. The decor makes you feel like you’re eating inside a secret garden which is lovely.

11. Mistral Bleu Train Bar 5-5-1 Roppongi, Minato A bar decorated to look like a train carriage. The drinks are cheap, the crowd is friendly and everything is covered with signatures from happy customers.

CHARLOTTE MARTIN Tokyo Travel Journal

MOBILIT MAT Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is proposing to deliver its first dedicated vehicle to support the Tokyo 2020 event â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the APM (Accessible People Mover). The APM is an all-electric open-air vehicle with three-row seating that can reach staggering speeds of up to 12mph! It can accommodate up to five passengers, with each vehicle powered by a lithium-ion battery that will last 100 kilometres on a single charge. Toyota, who are one of the major sponsors of the 2020 Olympics, states that they will provide a fleet of 200 APMs to transport guests, athletes and sponsors to different events and around the Olympic Village itself. Unsurprisingly, Toyota's APM isn't meant for the masses. The open-air vehicles resemble large golf carts, rather than futuristic vessels of public transportation. And there's a good reason why. Toyota intends it to be a 'last mile' solution for staff and athletes, as well as visitors with accessibility needs. Each APM can accommodate a wheelchair or a stretcher and includes an access ramp that slides out kerbside to ensure easy access. This transportation solution will no doubt be vital for disabled athletes and guests, especially remembering that the Olympics and Paralympics haven't had the best track record with accessibility in the past.

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Source: Toyota

Disabled visitors at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea encountered numerous challenges in rural areas. It is said that Tokyo, as one of the world's most developed cities, could pose its own set of problems. Unlike previous Olympic games, where tickets have gone unsold, there's been record-breaking demand for the Tokyo games, so crowds will be considerable. The last time Japan's capital city hosted the worldwide event was in 1964, so expectations for its return are sky-high and the desire to visit this incredible city does not seem to be diminishing. I have read that Toyota is expected to reveal even more innovations ahead of the event, including (which I find hard to believe) a flying car and robots that can bring food and drinks to guests in certain parts of the stadiums and villages. The automaker is even planning on building robots that it’s claimed can assist guests in wheelchairs. I, for one, am hoping that the 2020 Olympic Games will be a huge demonstration of the kind of technologies that offer real-life impacts, not just those built as whimsical PR and marketing stunts to amplify a sponsorship deal. It’s going to be a remarkable exercise in mass participation and public attendance, and I look forward to watching Japan do what it does best — hosting and customer service. We will watch with excitement.

Irv Founder and Editor-in-Chief

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a movement set to rocket Beer in Japan Emerging as one of the globe’s top economies, endlessly saturating in culture, and with an image that’s projecting itself along the high street with the food that we eat and the way we eat it – Japan is an explosion of coolness that’s only just scratched the surface of the Western world. Where food, cars and electronics are becoming part and parcel of the trading relationships the nation has sewn, one consumer good I believe is still rising to its full potential is that of beer. On an average evening out for myself as a beer lover, Japan’s most iconic beer Asahi is not one of my most obvious selections at the bar. Not always readily available at most places, its mostly rare inclusion in a bar’s inventory does always strike me as holding its own amongst two or three other beers, rather than being lost amongst a wide array of Europe’s top beers. With that, I do every so often take a punt on a bottle of Asahi when I see it. Always a fan of the lighter beers, Asahi is a top choice for those not wanting their beers to be too strong and heavy. Where sake is of course a popular choice of Japanese beverages for those outside the country, Asahi represents its nation well and will continue to have a home in beer lovers’ hearts. I am excited by the Japanese craft scene and, knowing how craft beers are commonly entwined with a historical legacy and story, think there is great potential for craft beers in the rich heritage of Japan. Next on my shopping list is the Hitachino Nest White Ale, which you’ll find a review on soon at my Instagram.

アサヒ Chris Henry @thecraftychris

SOCIALGRAM.CO.UK

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MY JAPANESE INSPIRATION

入れ墨

Source:

: The Vacation Times

If I could go back and start again, in my career as a tattooist at least, I would focus entirely on Japanese designs. That’s one hell of a bold statement to make when I don't actually tattoo that genre as often as I'd like to, but I love it. I love the whole concept of it. It's so completely misunderstood too. If only people knew why they actually existed. Japanese tattoos, or ‘Irezumi’ as they're correctly known, have the most extraordinary history – you'd think I was making it up. If you've ever been tattooed by me, you'll know that many of the stories I tell are to distract, often badly, the poor fucker under the needle (and I say poor as I actually hate being tattooed myself). I once convinced a client that I went to school with Rihanna. At no point did she question the 20-year age gap. I even told her I got out a year or two ago. Realistically, the only way I could've been at her school at the same time is if I was teaching there or hiding in a cupboard? Sorry, I meant "caretaker". Anyway, this next bit is true. But less believable. Probably. There was a time in Japan when having a bodysuit or backpiece was definitely not something you'd be proud of, and there would've been absolutely no mercy shown by the tattooist – it’s painful and takes fucking ages. It's done by a ‘Horishi’ with at least one or two apprentices helping. A simple needle tied to a wooden stick with silk is the machine. 10,000BC was the dawn of the Japanese Horishi, and the tattoo became a symbol of spirituality, if not just a decoration. But, by 300AD, tattoos were being applied to criminals as a form of punishment. Obviously, it also permanently reminded them and everyone else of their crime. This continued until almost 1900 and even today the Triads, Yakuza and other Japanese gangs will avoid being tattooed so as not to be identified as a criminal. Spas and health clubs, gyms, and some hotels still ban tattoos in Japan. The Japanese actually became so worried about Japanese gangsters wandering around the globe with tattoos all over them that they continued to ban them in fear of being seen as in cahoots with the Yakuza. Until 1948. I think. Or thereabouts anyway. So, it’s a weird one isn't it. One minute your tattoos tell us that you're spiritual and at one with the world, and the next, you’re a serial killer or a cannabis smoker with MS — both are criminals in the eyes of many turdlike countries, not just here in the EU superstate. Imagine, you get a bodysuit even though you're not a criminal and then people assume you are. There could be some advantages to this… But where was I?

I also love the simplicity but total lack of simplicity of Japanese designs. They look so simple, but to tattoo them takes a lifetime of practice. Each design tells a story that fits each person perfectly, not just physically and aesthetically, but spiritually too. They cannot be picked from a book or printed off and stencilled. Tattooists in Japan typically started life as woodblock carvers, cutting out the designs from wooden blocks that appeared as illustrations in books such as the novel Suikoden. When Suidoken hit the streets, every young lad wanted a tattoo. Just like the costumes today, kids always want to dress like their heroes. These super-heroes had dragons, koi and bright flowers all over them – and of course, they all fought like Bruce Lee and had 8-packs. But with most things cool, tattoos have a slightly dodgy start in life. Imagine how many Japanese people would feel if you arrived from the UK with a full bodysuit in the middle of the most exclusive resort in Tokyo or on the beach with a Mai Tai – everyone would look and think that you’re a child murdering witch from Coventry, here to kill them all. You can imagine the problem. They still think everyone with tattoos in Japan is a criminal. This led to the same attitudes in other countries, often where a naval past is confused with a criminal one. So, people that are slightly outdated with their attitudes, views, politics or even ethics, are going to be offended by tattoos; just like I'm offended by their ignorance. The great news is that they're almost all nearly dead now, so hopefully it can go back to being a spiritual thing again? Guy Anderson www.tattooguy.com @guyandersontattoos

入れ墨

79 Utagawa Kuniyoshi / Source: Japan Society

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It was 2015 when we all rose from our seats and applauded Japan’s incredible victory against South Africa. This year, the 2019 Rugby World Cup may well open a whole new chapter for the archipelago once again. It’s now just days until Japan hosts The Rugby World Cup for the first time in history, and I can’t help feeling that this momentous event will be of paramount importance for the authorities, making for the perfect dry run for the Tokyo Olympic games.

JAPAN

Hosting this competition in Japan marks a turning point for the game as, despite being introduced to Japan over 150 years ago, rugby was not played by locals on a regular basis until years later. An illustration from 1874 in a weekly newspaper called the Graphic shows that rugby matches then took place in Yokohama, located south of Tokyo. Looking at the image you will find the Japanese people in their traditional costumes watching a game played by members of what is claimed to be the Yokohama Football Club, established in the city since 1866. I researched and found some interesting content from a gentleman known as an expert on the subject of Japan’s rugby history. Mr Mike Galbraith tells here of Japan’s first senior team, originating in the devastation and disorder of WWII’s aftermath.

THE HOME OF RUGBY 82

ラグビ｜ Source: john-woodbridge.com

JAPAN HOSTS THE RUGBY WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

“Several middle-aged gents were drinking cheap sake together in Ginza and chattering about rugby and the good old days before the war. […] They talked about playing rugby again and decided that they would gather their rugger friends and organize a team.

[…] The team was called Fuwaku, the Japanese word which means ‘free from vacillation’”.

Many sports, such as football and baseball, have become very popular in Japan, and hopefully that success will create a fresh impetus for the Cherry Blossoms rugby team as they go from strength to strength and gain a growing fan base across the globe. The 34-32 Japanese victory against The Boks during the 2015 World Cup did not just result in global admiration. It also reignited Japanese pride with their success on the international stage. By becoming a sporting powerhouse, as demonstrated during the Football World Cup in Russia, Japan is a making a huge impression on worldwide opinion. I guess now all that remains is for Japan to put everything into practice. After their victory over South Africa in 2015, audiences for the Cherry Blossoms were around 19%, whereas they reached 55% for the Football World Cup in Russia last year. The 2019 Rugby World Cup should be the opportunity for Japanese rugby to come into its own and definitively gain the support of the nation at home. It would allow a new chapter to open in the history of Japanese Rugby, which began 150 years ago in the shadow of Mount Fuji. So, here’s to a wonderful tournament which kicks off on 20th September 2019 with the match of Japan vs. Russia.

Irv Founder and Editor-in-Chief

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FAITHFUL FRIEND. TRUSTY SCOUT.

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