Explore by Pantechnicon

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MASTERFUL MIXING HOW TO ROLL SUSHI SUSTAINABLE DESIGN GIFTS FOR DOGS

Take a journey through creativity and craftsmanship across food & drink, shopping and experiences

MOTCOMB STREET, BELGRAVIA, SW1X 8LB

No 01 SPRING/SUMMER 2022 pantechnicon.com

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WELCOME TO PANTECHNICON 19 MOTCOMB STREET, LONDON, SW1X 8LB

Pantechnicon is a place to escape in the heart of London. Step in and explore our restaurants, bars, shops and experiences inspired by the Nordics & Japan.

Find us on Motcomb Street – a stone’s throw from Knightsbridge tube station and Hyde Park.

020 7034 5425 | RESERVATIONS@PANTECHNICON.COM PANTECHNICON.COM | @_PANTECHNICON 3

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roof garden

eldr

BAR & RESTAURANT

NORDIC DINING ROOM

ROOFTOP

SECOND FLOOR

studio & edit

sakaya

NORDIC & JAPANESE FASHION & GIFT SHOPS

JAPANESE BOTTLE SHOP & MICRO BAR

GROUND & FIRST FLOORS

GROUND FLOOR

café kitsuné

sachi

CAFÉ & TERRACE

JAPANESE RESTAURANT & BAR

GROUND FLOOR

LOWER GROUND FLOOR

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE PAGE 6

GENTO TORIGATA: MASTER OF COCKTAILS PAGE 12

HOW TO CRAFT THE PERFECT SUSHI ROLL PAGE 14

THAT SUMMER SPIRIT PAGE 18

CLEVER COUPLINGS PAGE 24

NORDIC VALUES, LOCAL INGREDIENTS

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TELL ME ALL ABOUT MIDSUMMER PAGE 32

THE WAY OF TEA PAGE 38

COME AND LEARN WITH US

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SHOP THE LOOK: SUN’S OUT STYLE

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SUSTAINABLE PIONEERS

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BEAUTY, DOGS & HOLIDAYS 5

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INTRODUCING

GENTO TORIGATA

MASTER OF COCKTAILS

A true master mixologist, Gento Torigata works with produce and flavours as expertly as any chef at the top of their game. Now, as head mixologist at Pantechnicon, he’s bringing a new level of ingredientled craft to the cocktails served across our bars.

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Gento Torigata is distinctly uninterested in speaking about alcohol today. Instead, Pantechnicon’s head mixologist is excitedly hyping an ingredient he’s just picked up in a London Bridge spice shop: the passion berry.

With its peppery kick and intense passion fruit-like finish, Gento is using the herb to create a vodka infusion that provides a concentrated explosion of flavour. “The alcohol is simply a tool to extract all the amazing aromas,” he explains. In turn, the infusion is providing the starting point for a new cocktail that Gento has been developing for his mixologist’s table experiences in Sakaya, Pantechnicon’s bottle shop and micro bar.

It’s just one of many new creations the Japanese mixologist has crafted since he joined Pantechnicon at the start of 2022, following a long stint in Singapore, where he had leading positions in two of the world’s best bars.

The use of passion berry is a perfect representation of Gento’s creative process. “It’s all about natural ingredients, the aromas and the potential flavour combinations,” he explains. “That comes long before I start thinking about the structure or style of the drink.”

It may therefore be of little surprise that prior to stepping behind the bar, Gento trained as a chef and worked in French restaurants and patisseries in his hometown Tokyo. It provided the perfect foundation for his current career, which began as an apprentice in a traditionalstyle cocktail bar in the upscale Ginza district of Tokyo. In a typically Japanese approach, cocktail making in Ginza is considered a craft that requires extensive training, learning and practice.

ALCOHOLIC DISCOVERIES

MAKE YOUR OWN: GENTO’S YELLOW NEGRONI Served at Pantechnicon’s Roof Garden bar, this is a lighter, fresher take on a classic negroni, without the punchy bitterness of a traditional white negroni.

What’s more, it’s light on process, meaning it’s a great way of recreating Gento’s flavour pairings at home this summer. Here’s how to make one: Pour: 25ml akvavit; 25ml Belsazar Riesling vermouth; 25ml Suze liqueur; and 25ml 30&40 Eaux de Vie over ice.

Stir for 30-60 seconds and serve.

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While it’s more common for Gento’s starting point to be a natural, nonalcoholic ingredient, it can sometimes be a rare alcohol discovery, or new spirit release that has blown him away.

Most recently, that’s a red rice sake – a centuries-old way of producing sake that had until recently fallen out of fashion.

“It interests me as it results in a much more savoury and umami forward sake,” he says.

One place Gento has used the sake is in his dirty & bloody martini, served at Sachi, Pantechnicon’s Japanese bar and restaurant. A perfect example of the complexity in Gento’s work, the cocktail is a dirty martini that takes notes from the bloody mary. The umami flavours

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“ I look at ingredients

first. I consider the aromas, flavours and potential combinations, long before I start thinking about the structure or style of the drink.”

Gento Torigata

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of the red-rice sake are accentuated by shiitake mushroom, the aroma of which is extracted through a complex process involving oils, freezing, and straining.

The cocktail is completed by Spanish manzanilla sherry, with the bloody mary element presented by ayuuk, a new kind of craft spirit created by Copenhagen’s Empirical Spirits using pasilla mixe, a Mexican smoke-dried chilli – and another of Gento’s more recent discoveries.

CRAFTING HIS OWN

Despite arriving in London less than six months ago, Gento has already taken his work with flavour and aroma to the next level, creating his own pair of vermouths with East London Liquor Company for exclusive use behind Pantechnicon’s bars. A fortified wine which is aromatised through herbs and spices, vermouth is used in cocktails such as the negroni and the manhattan.

But rather than using wine as the starting ingredient, in celebration of Pantechnicon’s Nordic & Japanese

SPEND AN EVENING WITH GENTO TORIGATA Each month, Gento hosts a mixologist’s table experience where he prepares his complex cocktails for just four guests.

It’s a chance to see Gento work up close, ask him for any tricks and tips and, of course, enjoy some fantastic cocktails.

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influences, Gento’s dry vermouth uses Swedish birch sap wine, while a sweet vermouth utilises the red-rice sake.

In a further spin, the Japanese sake is aromatised with Nordic botanicals including Douglas Fir, liquorice and fennel.

The Swedish birch sap wine is meanwhile paired with Japanese flavours such as yuzu, galangal and ginseng. The result is a pair of unique tools for new cocktails that can only be experienced at Pantechnicon.

WORLD’S BEST

Creating his own vermouth is a natural progression from Gento’s most recent work. In Singapore, the mixologist applied his mastery of flavour and ingredients to lead the development of bottled cocktails

by Jigger & Pony, which is considered one of the world’s most celebrated bars. It currently sits at #9 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list and #2 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

A key reason for Gento’s move to London, and Pantechnicon, was the opportunity to utilise the full resources of the kitchens.

Here, he carries out complex processes such as lacto-fermentation; collaborates with the chefs, and uses kitchen-made ingredients like pickles and vinegars.

He recently worked with the pastry team to create a new liquorish meringue garnish for a special cocktail inspired by the year of the Tiger.

“It’s like I’ve come full circle,” he says. “I’m able to bring all my training and learning in the kitchen and behind the bar to fruition at Pantechnicon. I’m not only able to work with the produce, but also collaborate with the chefs. In such a creative environment, the possibilities are endless.”

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ROLL UP, ROLL UP! Shire Yu, the free-diving, spear fishing head sushi chef at our Japanese restaurant Sachi, reveals her top tips for making the perfect maki roll

IT’S ALL IN THE RICE

Good quality rice only needs to be washed 2 or 3 times, any more and it can become too starchy. If you’re using a pan instead of a rice cooker, don’t be curious – keep the lid shut: the steam cooks it.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Fill the maki with whatever you want – even meat, just keep it uniform across the head to tail of the roll and don’t over fill. Keep it simple and don’t use more than three ingredients.

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SUGAR YOUR VINEGAR

Even when a bottle is labelled sushi vinegar, it isn’t sweet enough. Add 20g of sugar and a pinch of salt to every 150ml of vinegar – the amount you’ll need to prepare 500g of sushi rice.

DON’T PRESS TOO HARD

When you’re working with the rice always be careful to not press too hard – if it compresses too much it will turn into savoury mochi.

Be extra careful when using a sushi mat to roll your maki.

GET THE TEMP RIGHT

Wait until the rice is at skin temperature – too hot, it will ruin the seaweed, too cold, it won’t roll. Add the rice to the rough side of the seaweed, leaving a finger gap for sealing the roll.

WET YOUR KNIFE

To cut, take a very sharp knife, dip the tip in water then tap the base so that the drip runs down the edge. This will stop the rice sticking to the knife. Cut in one smooth slice – don’t saw at it.

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THAT SUMMER SPIRIT Beverage Director Marc-Andrea Levy and Sake Samurai Natsuki Kikuya choose their top picks for Japanese whisky and sake to enjoy in the warmer months. They’re all available to pick up in Sakaya, our bottle shop and micro bar.

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THE WHISKY LIST

By Marc-Andrea Levy, Pantechnicon Beverage Director

YOICHI SINGLE MALT THE NIKKA WHISKY COMPANY

A terrific single malt from Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi distillery which opened in 1934. A smoky and rich single malt with balancing fruity notes, it also has a slightly saline character and an incredibly delicate finish of eucalyptus. It’s a fantastically balanced whisky for enjoying during the warmer months. £80 16

ICHIRO’S MALT DOUBLE DISTILLERIES CHICHIBU/HANYU DISTILLERIES

Chichibu’s master distiller Ichiro Akuto is a rock star of the whisky world and this is a great introduction to his work. A combination of casks from the Chichibu and Hanyu distilleries, it’s deliciously nutty with hints of spice. It’s one for those who aren’t sure they like whisky, as it always changes their mind! £145

MARS KASEI MARS SHINSHU DISTILLERY

A blend of malt and grain whiskies from the Shinshu distillery – the highest altitude distiller in Japan.

With fragrant notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, alongside notes of red plum and nectarine on the palate, it’s a taste of summer that works great mixed with sparkling water to make a high ball. £52

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THE SAKE LIST

By Natsuki Kikuya, Sake Samurai & Sommelier

KAMOKINSHU TOKUBETSU JUNMAI 13 KANEMITSU SHUZO, HIROSHIMA

The Kamokinshu brand specialises in hand-crafted premium sake using only locally cultivated, high-quality, sakespecific rice. With a juicy aroma that allows you to fully enjoy the taste of rice, while having a comparatively low alcohol content of 13%, this sake is one of our favourites from the brewery and great for enjoying on a warm afternoon. £57

INE MANKAI ROSE MUKAI SHUZO, KYOTO

The Ine Mankai from Mukai Shuzo is made with an ancient strain of red rice called Murasaki along with local Iwai rice from Kyoto. It has a complex cherry and vanilla aroma with unique bursts of sweet and tart cherry and pomegranate flavours, as well as an umami rich palate that works equally well with savoury and sweet dishes. £60

DAISHICHI MINOWAMON JUNMAI DAIGINJO DAISHICHI, FUKUSHIMA

From the brewery’s establishment in 1752, through to the present 10th generation master brewer, Daishichi has always insisted on sticking to the age-old Kimoto method of brewing sake. Daishichi Minowamon is one of the first sakes using this method to win gold medals at leading awards. The crisp, mellow taste makes it a beautifully refreshing sake. £90 17

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CLEVER COUPLINGS Our chefs present a set of perfect pairings you’ll find across our menus at Roof Garden and Sachi – including spins on classics and some you just might have never thought of...

Oysters & Kizami Wasabi, Roof Garden 18

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OYSTERS & WASABI It doesn’t get much better than oysters and hot sauce, but for a twist that plays on the same balance of flavours, replace the Tabasco with a small hit of wasabi.

Rather than offering a fruity acidic spiciness, the wasabi gives its characteristic combination of aromatic spice with a hint of sweetness, while still sitting beautifully alongside the raw fish – just as it does a piece of sushi.

At Roof Garden, we use Kizami wasabi – finely chopped root that’s marinated in soy sauce, as well as a light tomato dressing for a little extra tanginess.

“ For a twist that plays on the same balance of flavours, replace the tabasco with a small hit of wasabi.”

TOMATO & TOFU It’s often said that tofu is only good for soaking up the flavours of a sauce. But frying a good quality tofu such as Clean Bean’s really shows off the nuttiness of the ingredient. Tomato probably isn’t a flavour that would be the go-to pairing for tofu given that it isn’t hugely associated with Asian cooking – but it works fantastically well to accentuate the hints of sweetness, and adds extra flavour just as it would to pasta. Currently at our Japanese restaurant Sachi, we serve Agedashi Tofu with a tomatobased dashi broth and top it with plenty of fresh, seasonal Isle of Wight tomatoes.

Agadashi Tofu, Sachi 20

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BLUE CHEESE & BILBERRY Cheese and fresh berries have been enjoyed in combination since the Roman Empire. But for a unique spin, pair blue cheese with cooked bilberries, which grow in the wild across northern Europe, including the UK. Bilberries are similar to blueberries, but much more acidic. Cooking them brings out the sweetness, while keeping a fuller flavour – it’s why they go fantastically with the strength of blue cheese, which can overwhelm other fruits. At Roof Garden we do a further spin on a classic by making a cheesecake tart out of the pair.

Bilberry and blue cheese tart, Roof Garden

SASHIMI & SEA BUCKTHORN In Japanese cuisine, a dressing made with yuzu – a citrus fruit – is often paired with sashimi, its sharp acidity beautifully interacting with the sweet butteriness of fresh fish.

As a local and seasonal alternative to yuzu, try sea buckthorn – a shrub and fruit that grows across the Nordics, as well as in Scotland. The strong acidity works just as well as yuzu and it’s also packed with vitamin C. At Roof Garden, we pair a sea buckthorn dressing with sustainable Arctic Char – a Nordic fish similar to salmon and trout that’s naturally farmed in Houghton Springs Farm in Dorset.

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NORDIC VALUES, LOCAL INGREDIENTS Eldr head chef Jenny Warner explains how our new five-course journey through Nordic cooking was created by combining local ingredients, Nordic values and traditional techniques – as well as a heavy dose of collaboration.

What defines Nordic cooking? For me, fresh produce is at the core of everything we do. We’re guided by the principles of seasonality, sustainability and the use of age-old techniques like cooking over fire, smoking and pickling.

But in Nordic cooking there also aren’t really set rules like you might find in classical French and Italian cooking.

Instead, our kitchens are places of collaboration, filled with chefs from across the globe who contribute their own ideas – while respecting tradition.

And so, when it came to creating our new five-course Nordic experience for Eldr, we started with produce and the commitment to source only the best ingredients from exceptional farmers and expert foragers.

That’s why the menu will be an ever evolving one, depending on what’s fresh and in season.

We’ll be honouring the guiding principles of Nordic cooking, but constantly playing with ideas. You’ll find plenty in the menu from my childhood in Finland – including the rye bread that we’ve developed from my mother’s recipe – but an equal amount of input from my talented team of chefs.

They’re all highly trained in Nordic cooking, but each have been given the space to express themselves and share their own experiences.

“ We started with

produce and the commitment to source only the best ingredients.”

I’m really proud of what we’ve created together, and I’d love to welcome you in to give it a try.

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ROOF GARDEN

COME IN FOR A COCKTAIL ON US

Receive a welcome house cocktail for you and a guest when you eat at Roof Garden.

Stroll up anytime or book ahead.

Simply pop the code EXPLORE into the special request box when booking online, or mention Explore to our team when you arrive.

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ROOFGARDEN@PANTECHNICON.COM | 020 7034 5426 26

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ROOFTOP BAR & RESTAURANT

roof garden Our relaxed menu is influenced by Nordic & Japanese cooking and prepared with seasonal ingredients.

At the bar, crafted cocktails and spritzes are created by our expert head mixologist.

JAPANESE RESTAURANT & BAR

sachi A celebration of Japanese food, culture and craft, with cooking inspired by the regions of Japan and made with unique ingredients. Expect sushi of line-caught fish, British meat from heritage breeds cooked over coals and organic Japanese greens grown in East Sussex.

NORDIC DINING ROOMS

eldr Eldr hosts a five-course culinary experience each week which combines the best local ingredients with Nordic values and cooking techniques. The menu is ever changing and evolving depending on what is in season.

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TELL ME ALL ABOUT MIDSUMMER Nowhere takes the summer solstice quite as seriously as the Nordics; for this collection of countries it’s an occasion to get in touch with nature, light a fire, and dance the night away in flower crowns.

Midsummer festivals have been held close to the date of summer solstice all over the world for centuries. But today it’s the Nordics that are most observant of the holiday, with Sweden and Finland going as far as to tie it closely to their cultural identity.

Despite the ancient festival being renamed the Feast of St. John in the Middle Ages, the celebration remains distinctly pagan.

From shooing away evil spirits over a bonfire, to lacing pillows with flowers, each of the Nordic countries take the time every year to celebrate the longest day of the year through a variety of rituals. So how can you celebrate like the Nordics this June?

LIGHT A BONFIRE In Finland, Norway and Denmark, the central theme is gathering around an open fire. The habit was borne from the belief that lighting a fire, along with making lots of noise, during the summer solstice chased away evil spirits and led to a good harvest.

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Today it has largely become a celebration of lighter days for countries that see long hours of darkness during the winter. Locals gather at a communal fire for food and drinks, partying through the near 24 hours of daylight with beer and flavoured schnapps.

FLOWER CROWNS & MAYPOLES Across the Nordics, retreating into and connecting with the natural environment is a unifying theme. But it’s in the Swedish countryside that the festival remains the most steeped in nature and ritual, which can be seen by the prolific use of flowers to celebrate the day. Kids and adults alike craft their own crowns, or krans, from fresh flowers. Maypoles are erected across gardens and parks, adorned with freshly picked spring flowers and birch leaves.

Similar to the UK’s May Day traditions, dances are performed around the maypole – including the quirky “little frog dance”.

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PERFORM A RITUAL Traditionally, Midsummer signalled the season of love and fertility, and a range of rituals around this belief live on today.

Those in search of love put seven flowers under their pillow at the end of the evening in the hope it will lead them to dream of a future spouse. Many others use the festival period to get married or start planning their wedding.

EAT AND DRINK

“ It’s believed that

putting seven flowers under your pillow at the end of the evening will lead you to dream of your future spouse.”

No matter where you’re celebrating, you can be sure to find akvavit, beer and schnapps being liberally consumed through the night. For food, there’s pickled herring, potatoes with dill and sour cream, as well as fresh strawberries.

Many also barbecue hotdogs and breads such as Snobrod (Danish campfire bread).

In Finland, there’s a belief that the more raucous you get when marking Midsummer, the better luck you will have in the year ahead, while the more that’s drunk, the better the harvest will be.

GET NAKED & TALK TO COWS It’s in Iceland that Midsummer celebrations and beliefs take a turn into the leftfield. It’s said that on this day cows can speak, seals become human, and the elves come out to play. It’s also believed that getting naked and rolling around in the morning dew will bring you good fortune for the year ahead.

MIDSUMMER AT PANTECHNICON Look out for Midsummer-inspired events, experience and drinks throughout the week of 21 June at Pantechnicon this year.

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SEARCHING FOR MIDSOMMAR After spending summers chasing the dream of Midsummer, I finally got the gist – says Betty Bachz, founder of sunglasses brand Møy Atelier.

Midsummer has always belonged more to Sweden than any other. The allure of picture-perfect Swedes wearing wildflower wreaths and virginal shrouds, dancing around green pastures and singing siren songs is tangible. As a child of Chinese immigrant parents growing up in Norway, it was this idea that formed a key part of what I saw as the ideal Scandinavian life.

Yet for the longest time, it seemed just out of reach: my early memories of Sankthans, as we call it in Norway, consisted of a lacklustre bonfire. Why then settle for that when your neighbouring country is seemingly offering bottomless schnapps, maypole dancing and skinny dipping with a future lover? So when one summer during my later teenage years a girlfriend suggested a group of us head to the nearest town in Sweden to try our luck on scoring an invite to an authentic Swedish Midsommar experience, I jumped at the opportunity with the enthusiasm of a thousand baby goats.

But upon arrival, the small Swedish town seemed abandoned, even ghostlike.

After stocking up on local beer and cider we headed to our final destination: a flat in a duplex, where, as the hours passed, our hopes of scoring an invite to a ‘real’ Midsummer party by a passing group of Swedish boys seemed to drift further away.

Still, we couldn’t be discouraged and as the the sun never sets on the soltice, the night seemed forever young. Ultimately, I spent the night chugging down sugary cider that

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tasted nothing like strawberries, cherries or an angel’s kiss in spring – and watching my girlfriends bang on the doors of our neighbouring flats in a last-ditch effort to find a party. It was scarier than Ari Aster’s 2019 Midsommar horror flick.

It did teach me a valuable lesson of what Midsummer is all about. Like any other holiday, it’s best to surround yourself with family and friends, rather than trying to get an invite to a stranger’s party. Families in Sweden have long understood this point.

They flock to the countryside, making flower picking, skinny dipping and excessive drinking a practical reality.

Today, I usually spend the holiday in Norway with my loved ones, content with what I have. But for a true taste of the traditional Midsummer experience, I suggest you head to the flower meadows of Dalarna, a scenic region in central Sweden which translates as ‘the valleys’.

Popular locations with a warm welcome include Sollerön, a tiny island in lake Siljan, and Rättik, a town on the edge of the same lake. Here, communities get together to pick birch leaves and flowers to decorate the maypole from dawn. By midday your belly will be filled with herrings, potatoes in dill, hotdogs and a healthy amount of schnapps.

The evening is spent dancing around the maypole and playing outdoor games. Heed my warning and pace yourself if you plan to dance the night away: the alcohol and food consumption will be as lively and potent as the everlasting summer sun.

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THE WAY OF TEA Here in the UK, we’re no strangers to the benefits of a great cup of tea, but Japanese tea ceremonies show us that we should take longer moments to pause and reflect.

Behind every great cup of tea is a wellrehearsed ritual. Picking out the type of tea to fit your mood, boiling the water and preparing it all in your favourite cup. In Japan, however, making tea for yourself and friends is not just something that’s done during a five-minute break, but practiced as a craft.

A full, formal Japanese tea ceremony can be a multi-hour event and include food, a range of tea flavours and types, as well as key customs. The purpose is to create an atmosphere distinct from the rapid pace of day-to-day life.

“Each action has an intention and I think this is what makes the tea ceremony meaningful. It requires a pure and simple approach, to be aware of the ‘now’, and of the impermanence of every moment – all with control and focus,” says Yuri Yasuda, founder of Sayuri Tea, a company which specialises in sourcing the best matcha tea from Japan.

ENJOYMENT AND HOSPITALITY The central theme of a ceremony is serving guests and creating an air of enjoyment.

Movements and gestures are carefully

choreographed to show respect and hospitality to the people, the tools, and of course, the tea.

The perfect set up is essential. All attendees should be stripped of glitzy jewellery or outlandish clothing, and never wear heavy fragrances that can interrupt the delicate taste and smell of quality tea.

The venue is also important – it should ideally be a space covered with straw tatami mats and facing an alcove filled with flowers or featuring a garden view to enhance tranquillity.

For shorter tea ceremonies, guests are served a sweet before the tea drinking begins. Once guests receive a tea bowl, they should rotate it clockwise by 90 degrees so that it faces them. As the tea is finished, this must be rotated back so that the host can refill, or close the ceremony.

Longer ceremonies include multi-course meals referred to as Kaiseki Ryori. These meals traditionally have a set format.

The courses include soups, sashimi, and dishes that are boiled, grilled, deep fried, steamed and vinegared, as well as dessert, followed by a bowl of matcha, and standard green tea.

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“The Japanese tea ceremony includes the practise of both chanoyu and chadō.

Chanoyu simply means ‘hot water for tea’.

It is a process that takes years to master,” explains Ausra Burg, founder of My Cup of Tea and author of Japanese tea exploration book Tea Stories: Japan.

“From chanoyu came chadō, which translates as ‘the way of tea’. This is the spiritual journey taken through chanoyu.

It is essentially the elevation of aspects of everyday life to a higher spiritual realm.

Practitioners of chanoyu integrate

TEA AT PANTECHNICON We host regular tea tastings and experiences at Pantechnicon – head to our website to see what’s coming up. You can also pick up artisan tea and teaware in our Edit and Studio shops.

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the principles of wa, kei, sei and jaku (harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity) into their study of tea and daily lives.”

Ausra works with all kinds of tea from across the world, but says it is these Japanese ideas which she always comes back to. “I try to apply these principles whenever I make tea for myself, or with company – it transforms an ordinary act of hospitality into a meditative ritual,” she says.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Takahiro Yagi, the sixth-generation owner at craft tea caddy maker Kaikado, based in Kyoto.

Preparing tea for others “always comes from the principle of rita which is altruistic behaviour,” he explains.

“Then drinking tea by myself is to of course enjoy the tea, but also enjoy ma, which means the margin or blank space; it’s a time to make my brain clear.”

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A BRIEF HISTORY

The traditional Japanese tea ceremony came to life in the 15th century as tea became available across all social classes in Japan.

The first person to codify much of the ceremony as it is today was Sen Rikyu.

He created the style known as wabi-cha in the 16th century, which translates loosely as simplicity or tranquillity. In this version, tea masters use simple, rustic objects, such as tea stirrers, bowls and scoops. Each activity is related to the interplay between guests, the host and the utensils, while the care and dedication in the serving, drinking and cleaning of the tea is where the meditative qualities of the ceremony reside.

“I think the most important figure in chanoyu is undoubtedly Sen Rikyū,” says Yuri (pictured left). “He redefined the tea ceremony physically and conceptually: the procedure, the utensils, the teahouse architecture, and even the tea-garden landscaping. Much of the artistic approach that he took remains to this day.”

“ It transforms an

ordinary act of hospitality into a meditative ritual.”

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WHERE TO DRINK TEA IN JAPAN From the traditional to the contemporary, your expert guide to a collection of essential spots to experience tea in Japan.

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TENCHADAI, THE HEAVENLY TEA TABLE SAGA PREFECTURE

SHOJU-IN TEMPLE (PICTURED RIGHT) KYOTO

Here, you can experience the tea ceremony held for you by the same farmers who grow the tea, while sat on a platform set 200 metres above the Soejima-en tea fields in Ureshino, Kyushu. The destination is called Tenchadai, meaning the ‘heavenly tea table’, and with sweeping views across the expansive tea fields, it’s an incredibly special place to drink tea; it really does feel like a teahouse that’s set in the heavens.

A fun place to visit in Kyoto is a small temple called Shoju-in temple in Tsuzukigun near Uji City, which I stumbled across on my way to visit one of my tea farmers. Founded around 800 years ago, it’s very small and almost quaint, but full of warmth and creativity. It has 160 pieces of wonderful patterning on the ceiling, and also features a heart-shaped window looking into the garden, through which sunshine enters the temple at different points of the day.

Kylie Clark, head of Japanese experiences at Pantechnicon.

Yuri Yasuda, founder of matcha brand Sayuri Tea.

KAIKADO CAFÉ KYOTO

URESHINO SAGA PREFECTURE

The Kaikado Café is a beautiful café created by tea caddy maker Kaikado, located a short walk from their workshop. The stunning interiors were designed by Danish design studio OeO. The menu offers a range of delicious artisanal teas to try including Kaikado Supernatural, which is a house blend of Kumamoto black and green teas, and their hojicha au lait for those who prefer tea with milk.

I’d head to Ureshino, an area in Saga Prefecture on Kyushu island. There are a lot of ceramicists based there so you can enjoy tea straight from the wares they create. The view of the tea fields is also very nice and there’s also one of the world’s oldest and largest tea trees in Japan – a symbolic tree said to be planted around mid-17th century

by Yoshimura Shinbe, the founder of Ureshino tea.

Shu Terase, head of retail at Pantechnicon.

Takahiro Yagi, sixth-generation director a tea caddy maker Kaikado.

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COME & LEARN WITH US It’s all in the fun of discovery and learning, explains our head of experiences Kylie Clark.

Kylie is an expert in Japanese culture, traditions and history. A fluent speaker of the language, before joining us at Pantechnicon, Kylie lived in Tokyo, Akita and Okinawa, and spent 18 years working with Japan National Tourism Organization and Japan House in London. Here, she tells us more about the experience programme at Pantechnicon.

Our experiences are a way to learn about and discover the culture, food and craft of the Nordics & Japan. Each are led by a carefully chosen expert in their field, with specialist knowledge and passion for their craft. Whether it be a florist or artist, a sommelier or brewer, a chef or ceramicist, we work closely with them to create a learning experience that’s informative, fun and social.

There’s always something for all ages and interests: arts and crafts for kids, traditional tea workshops, Japanese sweet making, cocktail classes, vegan supper clubs with guest chefs, deep-dive sake tastings, pottery masterclasses – and much more.

Created for the curious, we’ll make sure you leave us with new skills or knowledge – whether that’s a practical craft technique, the perfect way to prepare your favourite drink, or simply impressing your friends with your understanding of Japanese spirits.

So please do check out all we’ve got going on, I hope to see you soon!

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DISCOVER EXPERIENCES From tea ceremonies to cocktail making, pottery classes to sake tastings, there’s plenty to discover at Pantechnicon.

PANTECHNICON.COM/EXPERIENCES to find out more 41

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Refresh your wardrobe with the latest styles by exclusive brands and designers from the Nordics & Japan. Head up to Studio, Pantechnicon’s first-floor fashion and homeware shop or head online at pantechniconstore.com.

10601H Sunglasses Matsuda, £570

Double Strap Jersey Dress Sayaka Davis, £245 Holiday Crochet Short Gown Leinwände, £280

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Lace Shirt TOGA, £355 Jenali Sunglasses Han Kjøbenhavn, £325 44

Fiona Dress COG, £355

Ichimatsu Obi Bag Lastframe, £250

Freshwater Pearl Duo Necklace Milamore, £1,400

Moto-Cab Sandals Suicoke, £165

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Slit Neck T-shirt Rainmaker, £185

Hakama Trousers Rainmaker, £445

M3086 Sunglasses Matsuda, £455

Long Sleeve T-shirt Rainmaker, £210

White Leather Trainers Roscomar, £220

T03 Shirt Overcoat, £325

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SUSTAINABLE PIONEERS A plant-based sunglasses maker and natural beauty brand tell us how they’re working to shake up their categories through sustainable innovation.

JAMES AY: CHASING THE SUN Every time you put on a pair of James Ay sunglasses, founder Torben Holt wants you to feel like you’re doing something great. It’s why he created a range of shades that are not only fun, wearable and stylish, but that are also as friendly to the environment as possible.

The idea for James Ay came to Torben Holt in 2017 while he was working in the Danish fashion industry. He wanted to create a product that was not only useful and stylish, but that could make an impact on fashion’s long documented sustainability problem.

The first step was always to make his shades stylish and enduring; to create sunglasses that never go out of fashion and are built to last, so removing the need to ever throw them away.

To do this, Torben turned to classic, timeless styles that have been around for decades and are still popular today

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– before getting the James Ay design team to give them a contemporary twist or modern refresh. The brand name, after all, comes from James Ayscough, an 18th century British optician who is believed to have created the first pair of sunglasses.

“We wanted our glasses to be timeless, so that people wear them year-after-year.

We wanted them to be a quality product, and to weave into people’s everyday lives.

And most importantly, we wanted each pair of glasses to be sustainable from end-toend,” explains Torben.

A VERY MODERN MATERIAL

To do this, he first turned to a new type of Italian plant-based acetate, which is also 100% compostable. From there, a host of processes and parts were developed or procured to help ensure the sunglasses have as little impact on the planet as possible – “save not making them at all”.

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“ We’re not 100% The plant-based frames are fitted with reused hinges, while their cases are made from recycled leather, and the cleaning cloth comes from recycled bottles. All card, paper and boxes used for shipping are bought from responsible sources. When possible, the glasses are even transported by train to Europe from the small, familyowned manufacturer in Shenzhen, China that handcrafts them Torben says the cost of manufacturing in Europe would have pushed up the prices of the glasses and make them less widely accessible.

perfect, but it’s important to keep working to improve ourselves and our planet.”

For every pair of glasses sold, the company plants a mangrove tree in a forest in Madagascar. “Of course, it’s a big process and we’re not 100% perfect, but it’s important to keep working to improve ourselves and our planet,” says Torben.

JOY AT THE CORE

It’s not all science and wizardry, however.

Fundamentally Torben and his team have created a product that celebrates the joy of everyday life. Through their brand they tell the stories of real people doing compelling things: an artist working in a small Spanish town; an ex-Danish soldier who’s moved to a farm to find a more peaceful life. James Ay doesn’t use professional models, and instead opts for inspirational people the team encounter in their day-to-day lives and work.

“Our whole universe is built around the phrase ‘Follow the sun’. Through our glasses, we want to tell stories about interesting people and how they are focusing on what makes them feel good,” says Torben.

“Every time you put on a pair of Ay’s we want you to equate it to play and doing something fun. Like the sun, the feeling of putting on a pair of our glasses should just feel nice.”

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James Ay Sunglasses Avaiable online and in Studio, £125-£145

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FEEL ICELAND: NATURAL BEAUTY

The demand for collagen supplements has boomed in recent years, but it hasn’t always come from the most trustworthy of sources.

That’s where Feel Iceland comes in: their supplements are made of pure hydrolysed Icelandic marine collagen that’s extracted from discarded fish skins, a by-product of the Icelandic fishing industry.

All the fish upcycled for the supplement is from sustainable fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, which means that fish are caught during specific periods and with regulated quotas. This means that users of the products are not only getting

the very best anti-aging benefits, but also reducing their impact on the planet.

“From the moment the company was founded, the first thing that we did was formulate a social responsibility policy that we have followed every day since,” Feel Iceland co-founders Hronn Margret Magnusdottir and Anna Olasdottir explain.

Feel Iceland doesn’t stop there: all of its packaging is environmentally friendly, too. The company uses recyclable and reusable aluminium cans for all its products.

Wherever it cannot use aluminium, it opts for recyclable glass, so that the company can minimise its plastic use.

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IT’S A DOG’S LIFE

Want your pup to be the coolest doggy in the dog park? Indulge them with elevated leather goods, and modern accessories.

Their friends won’t recognise them.

Fort Bed Vackertass £150 52

Hound Collar Vackertass £40-£44

Monotone Collar Vackertass £36-£40

Multi Lead Vackertass £70

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A BURST OF BEAUTY Boost your beauty routine with pioneering Nordic and Japanese formulations and accessories, made with deep consideration and careful craft.

The Original Oil CBD Mantle £70

On The Beach Hair Oil Uka £31

Facial Massage Stones Kassa £25 each

Scalp Brush Kenzan Uka £26

Gold Tsuki Comb Love Chrome £85 55

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HOLIDAY ESSENTIALS Make your summer break that little bit brighter with colourful accessories, memorable aromas and appealing textures that are sure to keep you looking and feeling great.

Tuscan Yellow Linen Cap Varsity Headwear £75 56

Chronic Unisex Perfume 19-69 £150

Leather Card Case Hender Scheme £115

Moss Green Flip Flops Tsukumo £25

Yonder Transparent Sunglasses James Ay £125

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DID SOMEBODY SAY ROOFTOP BAR? roof garden BAR & RESTAURANT Our rooftop retreat is a place to eat, drink and hang out. Set in a botanical oasis, come up anytime of the day, whatever the weather – we’ve got cocktails, beers and fantastic food. booking@pantechnicon.com

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