September 2024

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[Ceramic Japan's Black & White Bowl has been added]

The Black & White Tableware series was designed by Sori Yanagi in 1982. These square, angular bowls were designed with everyday use in mind, with a simple design that would never become boring.

At the time of its release, mass-produced ceramic tableware was mostly mass-produced in rotary forms, but the square design was realized by adopting casting molding (pressure casting and mud casting) to avoid overproduction as much as possible, and not rotary forms.

Black and white matte glazes were used to match the soft shape, and production and sales began in 2023 as an original product of Ceramic Japan.

Ceramic Japan's Black & White Bowl
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ceramicjapan/shirokuro.html

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[Okura Shukokan (Okura Museum of Art)]

Is it just me, or does the word "Shukokan" sound very noble?

The Okura Shukokan was established by Kihachiro Okura, a businessman active from the Meiji to Taisho periods, and was the first private art museum incorporated by a foundation in Japan. Kihachiro not only made significant contributions to the development of industry and trade, but also left a lasting impact on education and charitable work. Lamenting the outflow of cultural properties and works of art overseas, he worked to protect them and promote culture. In 1917, he opened the Okura Shukokan, donating the cultural properties he had collected, along with land and buildings.

Kihachiro Okura was born in 1837 as the third son of a merchant in present-day Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture. 17 years old, he went to Edo to work for a dried bonito wholesaler, but eventually became independent and opened a dried fish store in Ueno. 1867, he opened the Okura Gun Store in Kanda, and built his wealth by supplying munitions during the Boshin War. After the Meiji Restoration, he established Okura-gumi Shokai, and in the construction business division (later Taisei Corporation), he undertook the construction of the Rokumeikan, the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo Electric Light (now Tokyo Electric Power Company), Kabuki Theater, Usui Tunnel, and other buildings. He continued to ride the currents of the times and seize business opportunities, and, due in part to the war's military demand, he earned enormous profits. He was a man who created a major zaibatsu while returning the wealth he gained from his business to educational and cultural projects. After the establishment of the Okura Shukokan, the building and part of the collection were lost in the Great Kanto Earthquake. Recently, the Okura Shukokan underwent renovations, including a basement addition, over a five-and-a-half-year period beginning in 2014, and will reopen with The Okura Tokyo in 2019.

The Okura Shukokan is a building that has a Chinese feel to it and is located between the American Embassy and the Hotel Okura. There are many embassies in this area, and it is an area where you can feel a little removed from everyday life. There is also the Reinanzaka Church where Tomokazu Miura and Momoe Yamaguchi were married a long time ago. Momoe looked so beautiful at that time! There is also a redeveloped office area that is the talk of the town, so it might be fun to take a look at some of the newer cafes. You can stroll there from Roppongi 1-chome, Kamiyacho, or Toranomon stations, and various exhibitions are held in accordance with the seasons. You may be able to feel the ambition to not only make a fortune but also leave something behind for future generations. We hope you will visit.

Okura Shukokan
https://www.shukokan.org/
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html

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[Tenshinhan: A Simple Japanese Chinese Dish]

One of the most popular Chinese-style dishes that developed in Japan is tenshinhan. Although the name "tenshinhan" comes from the Chinese city of Tianjin, it is a uniquely Japanese dish, often enjoyed as a quick and easy meal. Its simple yet satisfying taste has made it a favorite in both local Chinese restaurants and home kitchens.

Tenshinhan is a fluffy plain omelet on a bed of rice, topped with a savory sauce. However, many people have given up on making the sauce because they cannot remember how much seasoning to use. It is also a hassle to search back for a recipe you have made before. But there is an easy way to remember the seasoning amounts.

All you need to remember is the "type" of seasoning. First, 1 cup of water, then 1 measuring spoon of chicken bouillon powder, potato starch, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and sake, all of which you need to measure out with a 5 ml measuring spoon. Adjust the seasonings to your taste based on 1 measuring spoon. By the way, by measuring the solids first, you can weigh the sugar and other ingredients without them sticking to the liquid left on the spoon.

Put all the water and seasonings in a frying pan and boil over high heat while stirring. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. 2 eggs. While the sauce is cooking, melt them in a bowl; Sori Yanagi's Stainless Steel Bowl 13cm is the perfect size for whisking the two eggs.

Once the rice is ready, it's time to speed things up. Place the cooked rice in the bowl, heat a well-oiled Nakamura Douki's Tamagoyaki Pan over high heat, and pour in the eggs. Stir for a few seconds, and when the egg is semi-cooked and tender, place it on top of the rice and pour the hot sauce over it. A simple tenshinhan is ready. By the way, it is recommended that you eat tenshinhan with a spoon, not chopsticks.

Tenshinhan is one of those perfect dishes showing how Japan has adapted and reinterpreted foreign cuisines to suit its taste buds. If you are looking for simple and delicious Japanese Chinese dishes, tenshinhan is a must-try! All seasonings are "1 measuring spoon". Why not try tenshinhan at home in the comfort of your own home?

Ichiyougama's Menbachi 17cm
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/menbachi.html
Sori Yanagi's Stainless Steel Bowl 13cm
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yanagisori/bowl.html
Nakamura Douki's Tamagoyaki Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nakamuradouki/tamagoyaki.html
FD Style's Frying Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/fdstyle/fryingpan.html