Portrait of Shibusawa Eiichi, adopted on the New 10,000 yen bill

Provisional Designs of the New
10,000yen note. Announced by the
 Ministry of Finance, April 9, 2019.
(Source: The Ministry of Finance)

The banknotes in Japan are 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen. (2,000yen bill was issued in 2000,
but this was in commemoration of the Okinawa Summit held in 2019.)

These Japanese banknotes’ designs are renewed almost every 20 years due to prevent counterfeiting. The current banknotes were circulated from 2004, therefore, the Ministry of Finance has announced that a new series of the Bank of Japan note will be issued in 2024.

In this renewal, the portrait of Eiichi Shibusawa has been adopted for the new 10,000yen bill.

The Ministry of Finance introduces Mr. Shibusawa as follows;

Plate of Shibusawa Warehouse’s birthplace,
and the emblem of the company
(Shibusawa family's trademark)
2-37-28 Eitai, Koto city

Shibusawa Eiichi (1840 – 1931) was a business leader and entrepreneur in early modern Japan who was
involved in the founding of around 500 businesses and economic organizations, including the First National Bank, the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce (now the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. His dedication to improving society extended to education, social welfare, and private-sector diplomacy.

The relation between Shibusawa and Koto city

Photo of Shibsawa's house
2-37 Eitai, Koto city

Shibusawa had lived at Fukagawa-Fukuzumi in Koto city (current Eitai 2-37) at the age from 36 to 48
years old, and was a member of the Fukagawa City Council from 49 to 64 years old. His residential place is now owned by the Shibusawa Warehouse Co., one of his established companies, and a part of his former house is retained in Aomori prefecture.

This house will be transferred to Koto city by Shimizu Corporation, a construction company, in 2023. Because his house was built by Mr. Shimizu Kisuke II whose family established Shimizu Corporation.

The life of Shibusawa is now aired on NHK, Shibusawa’s former house will be back in 2023, and a new 10,000 yen note will be issued in 2024.

Please come to Koto city to meet Shibusawa’s history.

By TO

How many types of "Sushi" have you ever tried?

 March 3rd is Hina-Matsuri, the Doll's festival for girls, and we eat special Sushi named Chirashi-zushi. There are a variety of "Sushi" in Japan, and I will show you some of them.

 1.  Chirashi-zushi (Mixed-sushi) 

 

Chirashi-zushi

Stripped baked egg, boiled shrimps, salty-sweet mushrooms, cubed cucumbers, etc. are on vinegar rice. We often eat Chirashi-zushi on celebratory occasions.

If the toppings are raw fish, we call it as Kaisen (fresh seafood) Chirashi-zushi.  

2.  Nigiri-zushi

Nigiri-zushi is the most common type of sushi. If someone just says "Sushi", it might mean Nigiri-zushi. Nigigiri-zusi is a bite-sized vinegar rice ball with a sliced raw fish or shellfish on top.

3.  Maki-zushi (Rolled-sushi)

Top: Nigiri-zushi
Middle: Maki-zushi
Bottom: Inari-zushi

All ingredients are rolled with vinegar rice in a sheet of dried seaweed. We often eat Maki-zushi at a school's sports festival or at a picnic.

If most of the ingredients are raw fish, we call it as Kaisen (fresh seafood) Maki-zushi. Be sure not to take Kaisen type of sushi to an outdoor event because raw fish goes bad under the sun.

4.  Temaki-zushi (Hand-rolled-sushi)

Temaki-zushi

Raw fish and some vegetables are rolled with vinegar rice in a sheet of dries seaweed. We eat Temaki-zushi at home rather than at a restaurant, such as when friends and families get together at home.

5.  Inari-zushi

Vinegar rice is packed in a fried Tofu bag which tastes salty-sweet. As raw fish is not included in Inari-zushi, people who don't want to eat raw fish might be able to eat this sushi.

From early 18 centuries to the middle of 20 centuries, Sushi, especially Inari-zushi, was often eaten as a fast food and there were lots of sushi stalls in Tokyo. You can see a replica of Inari-zushi stall at Fukagawa Edo Museum (https://www.kcf.or.jp/fukagawa/).

Replica of Inari-zushi stall
(Fukagawa Edo Museum)

By Yasuko 

Let’s enjoy “Miso soup” in Ginza!

Do you know “Miso” ?  “Miso” is traditional seasoning brewed from soybeans, malted rice, and salt. There is a shop in Ginza where you can eat in or take out “Miso soup” like Starbucks.

  Look at this picture. It looks like a Café Latte with whipped cream, but it is a “Miso soup” with “Tofu mousse”. Tofu is soybean curd and is a popular ingredient of “Miso soup”. So “Tofu mousse matches “Miso soup” very well.

 

 This unique “Miso soup” is 350yen a cup with a choice of 3types of Miso, “Red miso”,  “White miso”, and “Black miso” .

 At lunch time, you can also buy an “Omusubi” rice ball set. Two pieces of “Omusubi” is 350yen. “Omusubi” goes well with “Miso soup”.

  

 

In this shop, you can buy a variety of “Miso” from all over Japan. The shop is a branch of the Miso specialty store named “Sano Miso” in Kameido, Koto-ku, Tokyo. If you are interested in this ”Miso soup” please go to the shop!

  

https://sanomiso.com

1-13-15 Ginza Chuo-ku Tokyo

Tel  03-5579-5959 

I’m looking forward to Fukagawa Hachiman Shrine Festival from now!

Speaking of this year events, of cause it’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics,

right? But there is another important event in our area. That is Fukagawa

Hachiman Shrine Festival ! On the festival day, a parade of carrying lots of

mikoshis, portable shirines, is conducted. As it is held in midsummer, it’s

also called the watering festival where both the carriers of mikoshis and

the audience get soaked and enjoy the festival.

This festival has traditionally been one of the three largest festivals in

Edo, today’s Tokyo, since Edo period, which is samurai period. Still today

it is one of the largest and most popular festivals in Tokyo. There remains

a phrase feathering each of the three festivals, which is that Fukagawa is

the portable shrine, Kanda is the float and Sanno is the large area

belonging to it. So our festival has been featuring mikoshi since samurai

period.

Originally this festival was begun to pray for the great growth of the

fourth Shogun, the actual ruler of Japan, in 1642. This area was developed

as new frontier and transportation center of Edo. So lots of common people

and rich business people came to live there and this festival gradually

became popular in Edo city. Around the early 18th century, one of the

richest merchants in Edo dedicated three large portable shrines to Fukagawa

Hachiman Shrine. Since then, more and more people in Edo gathered to

Fukagawa area to watch the large shirnes carried at the festival. The

feature that Fukagawa is mikoshi, portable shrine, was decided.

Unfortunately, the three portable shrines disappeared in the large

earthquake in 1923.

Three large portable shrines dedicated by a rich merchant
(Source:  Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine Bulletin）

After that, the fesitvals, which was conducted every several years, became

more and more popular in Edo City. The following incident shows how popular

the festival was. At 1807 when the festival was conducted for the first time

in 12 years, a crowd of people gathered Eitai Bridge at Fukagawa area to

watch the large mikoshi parade. But the bridge could not withstand the

weight of people gathering and at last it collapsed. Lots of people on the

bridge was killed in the accident. It is said estimated 1,500～3,000 people

lost their lives and became the worst bridge collapse accident. We are able

to find how large the enthusiasm for the festival was at that time by the

incident.

Eitai Bridge collasped in 1821
(Source: Edo-Tokyo Museum)

Also, after that, popularity of the festival lasts still today. 200,000～

300,000 people including the carriers and the audience is said to gather at

the festival today.

 Of cause still today, a parade of mikoshi crosses Eitai Bridge at the

festival. When crossing the bridge, carriers of portable shrines keep

lifting them with their hands all together. This scene is one of the

highlights of the festival. This style is also said to show the repose of

the souls of the bridge collapse victims. I think this shows we are all with

them and never forget them forever. So this scene is my favorite of the

festival.

Thinking those, I’m looking forward to participating in the festival from

now. I hope this traditional festival will not be postponed next year due to

COVID-19. Please come to our area and let’s enjoy the festival this summer

when it is decided to be conducted this year!

Fukagawa Watering Festival
(Source: photo-ac com)

Kiba Park – My Favorite Jogging and Walking Course

There are many places surrounded by water and green in Koto City where families and friends gather and enjoy their time.

This time, I would like to introduce Kiba Park, which is my favorite walking and a light jogging course.

Kiba Park is located slightly northwest of the center of Koto City. Kiba Park is long from north to south and a bridge connects both sides. The origin of “Kiba” is that it was a lumber town in the Edo period which was around 300 years ago.

Picture 1

In spring, you can find a full of cherry blossoms along a river from the bridge.

In the north area of the park, there are a multi-use field (Picture 1), tennis courts and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, etc. In the south area, there are a family field, a BBQ area, and some shops, etc.

For walkers and joggers, it is approximately 2.5 km to go around the park. And if you follow a guidance in the park, it is up to a 3.5 km course (Picture 2: the start line of 3.5 km course).

Picture 2

People enjoy walking and jogging in the morning, daytime and night. There are several course choices from a flat square course to a winding course with a bridge. The park welcomes you at any time of the year.

There are several ways to go to Kiba Park. You can go on foot from a subway station such as Kiba Station on the Tozai Line(T13) and Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station of the Hanzomon Line(Z11) or the Oedo Line(E14). You can go to the park by bus too. Cafes has been becoming popular near the park, especially to the west of the park. Such new wave change our mind to be happier in our daily lives. So, please come to Kiba Park and enjoy your time including visiting the surroundings of the park!

By Toshio 

Japanese Soy Sauce and its history in the Edo period

Having looked over the Edo history, there are many fermentation products invented during the Edo period and one of the most indispensable products for Japanese is Shoyu - soy sauce. While Japanese use soy sauce as a daily essential seasoning for many dishes, how many kinds of soy sauce do you think we have in the market? How many brands do you think we have in Japan? 

According to the JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard), there are five kinds of soy sauce in the market; Koikuchi (regular soy sauce), Usukuchi (light color soy sauce), Tamari soy sauce, Saishikomi (double-fermented soy sauce) and Shiro (clear soy sauce). This definition was determined based on our conventional life-style and the government successfully streamlined the categories into these five. The majority is Koikuchi (regular soy sauce) that represents 84% of the market share. The next is Usukuchi (light color soy sauce) that presents 13% of the market. The other 3 kinds of soy sauce compete against each other in the rest 3% of the market. 

Here are the definitions.

(Image Source: Soy Saurce Information Center Website)

　

Koikuchi (Regular):

Koikuchi shoyu is made from cultured mold (Koji) with approximately equal portion of soybeans and wheat and brine after going through several months’ fermentation process.

Usukuchi (Light Color): 

Usukuchi shoyu is made from cultured mold (Koji) containing more wheat and less soybeans than Koikuchi shoyu. To make the color lighter than Koikuchi, about 10% more salt is used; on the contrary, saccharified rice-koji (Amasake) is sometimes added to moderate saltiness. Fermentation period is also shorter than Koikuchi. 

Tamari: 

Tamari shoyu is made mostly from soybeans with only a small amount of wheat with a ratio of 10:1-2 or no wheat (wheat-free version). Tamari is regarded as the original formula of soy sauce. Tamari mainly appears in Chukyo (Nagoya) region.

Saishikomi (Double-fermented): 

Saishikomi shoyu is made by cultured mold (Koji) in raw soy sauce instead of usual brine. Because of this process, it tends to have richer and stronger Umami and sweetness than Koikuchi. Saishikomi appears in Yamguchi (Chugoku) region.

Shiro (Clear): 

Shiro shoyu is very light in color and is made mainly from wheat with very little soybeans in a ratio of 10:1-2. Fermentation period is much shorter and this soy sauce appears in Chukyo (Nagoya) region.

Interestingly, the current Koikuchi soy sauce was being developed between 17th and 18th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu founded the Edo bakufu. Since the Edo township started expanding with growing population, many products had been brought from Kamigata (Osaka) to fulfill the consumption. Soy sauce was one of them called “Kudari-mono (shipping down to east from west) Shoyu” and the major production locations of soy sauce at that time were Wakayama and Hyogo. Japanese soy sauce is said that the original form was accidentally founded during Miso production in Wakayama. This original form of soy sauce was close to Tamari and it is believed that Wakayama is the birth place of Japanese soy sauce. 

At the beginning of soy sauce introduction to Edo, about 80% of soy sauce were from Kamigata and about 20% was supplied from local producers near Edo such as Chiba and Ibaragi, and so forth. After brought to Edo, soy sauce was continuously being improved by adding wheat for better flavors and aroma by Kanto producers. As the Edo people not only ate fresh fish from the Edo Bay but also needed stronger flavored seasoning, this modification was well accepted to become the current Koikuchi style. This evolved soy sauce became more popular and, by the end of Tokugawa shogunate, soy sauce supply to the Edo area was 80% locally and 20% from Kamigata.

There are also some records that show exports of soy sauce during the Edo period. However, the official export of soy sauce was observed in 1868 when the first Japanese immigration delegation started to Hawaii. Since then, Japanese soy sauce has been exported to many foreign countries wherever there are Japanese people.

(Conpura ceramic bottle traded at the Mercari) Source: www.mercari.com

(Reproduction of Conpura bottle)

Currently we still have approximately 1200 brands in Japan and the top 5 major brands represent 50% of market share. Now you can check how many kinds and brands you can see at your local supermarkets and you may be able to find more unique kinds of soy sauce in the market. Let’s try to find your favorite soy sauce!

The spirit of hospitality?

While you are enjoying a walk in Koto City, you may find a retro-cool Japanese style pub. (Picture 1) Okay, let’s pop into the pub and have a glass of sake and some yakitori! But, when you pass through the short curtain (Picture 2), you’ll soon find that the pub is not actually a pub, but it is a … public restroom! (Picture 3)

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

The Tokyo local government has been promoting the policy of making a comfortable city before inviting the Olympic and Paralympic games. In July 2006, the Tokyo local government established a guideline for public restrooms improvement from the citizen’s point of view. Based on the guideline, one public restroom should be built within the radius of 400-500 meters from another one, which means that you can reach a public restroom in less than ten-minute walk.

 Koto City is one of the cities in Tokyo that are actively working on public restrooms. When it comes to the quantity, there are 193 public restrooms in Koto City as of April 2019. The density of public restrooms in Koto City is 4.805 per square km, compared with 1.479 in Osaka. Regarding the quality, they make careful consideration that a public restroom fits in a local sight, as residents usually hesitate for a public restroom to be built in their vicinity. As a result, that pub-looking restroom has been built!

Let’s see other examples of public restrooms with unique appearance in Koto City. 

 It looks like a traditional Japanese warehouse in a preserved area, but it is a public restroom in a park, which was once on a property of “Tomioka Hachiman-gu”, a local worshipped shrine. (Picture 4) This public restroom was built with the intention to reproduce a warehouse of the shrine. 

Picture 4

This public restroom has a strange roof, like a hat or something. (Picture 5) Can you guess what this structure represents? Well, this public restroom is located at the foot of “Eitai Bashi”, a beautiful bridge over the River Sumida, linking Koto City and Chuo City. (Picture 6) The “hat” of this public restroom represents the bridge! 

Picture 5

Picture 6

When you suddenly need to search for a restroom during a walk in Koto City, don’t worry. Just consult a city map. (Pictures 7 and 8) The legend with a standing lady and a standing man shows a public restroom. The legend also appears on a wall of a public restroom (see a left side of Picture 5).

Picture 7

Picture 8

Not only a lot of sightseeing spots but also public restrooms in Koto City are waiting for you!

      By Naoki