This Month on Maction Planet – August 2024

It can now be revealed: This past month, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time in the UK, and now I can finally share what I’ve been up to! While it’s been a change of scenery from Japan, my work never stops. I’ve had the honour of guiding tour guests through the historic streets of London (yes, I guide around the UK when called upon!) and held meetings with current and new business partners, all while ensuring that the Maction Planet array of services remains top-notch… and releasing a new Kanpai Planet video.

Even here, I’ve kept my eye out for fascinating connections to Japan. In this edition of ‘This Month on Maction Planet’, I’m excited to share some of the intriguing Japan-related discoveries I’ve made during my time in the UK.

Featured image: The Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries at the British Museum offer a captivating journey through Japan’s rich history and culture. Visitors can explore a diverse array of artefacts, from ancient flame pots and samurai armour to contemporary manga, reflecting the lives of emperors and ordinary townspeople alike. This stunning collection, one of the most comprehensive outside Japan, beautifully illustrates Japan’s unique blend of heritage and innovation.

One of absolute favourite objects is this seated kappa (river imp) by Hokushõ (or Kitamasa (!)), made of wood and horn at some point between. 1800-1900. See below for a couple more of my favourites:

This complete samurai armour was made for a member of the powerful Mori family, samurai lords based in the Ako and Mikazuki domains in western Japan. It features their ‘circular crane’ crest and is embellished with gold leaf. Dating from 1600-1800, it includes a helmet and a light summer coat. Samurai rulers, like the Mori, used the threat of military action to maintain peace in Japan, with swords serving as powerful symbols of their authority. While guns were made, they were rarely used; instead, exceptional craftsmanship was devoted to the production of sword blades and their accessories. This set was acquired with the support of the JTI Japanese Acquisition Fund in 2017.

The Mausoleum at Halikarnassos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was designed by sculptor-architects Pytheos and Satyros as a tomb for Maussollos, a ruler of Karia in southwest Asia Minor. Maussollos initiated its construction but died before its completion; work continued until the death of his sister-wife Artemisia in 351 BC. The modern term “mausoleum” originates from the Latin form of Maussollos’ name.This is the most complete of the surviving lions from the Mausoleum.

Now – why is this in This Month on Maction Planet? Because the National Diet Building (the parliament building) in Tokyo resembles the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus -which was a model for some prominent Western designs in the early 20th century, such as John Russell Pope’s 1911 House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., and the downtown Los Angeles City Hall, completed in 1928.

18 years in Japan: 4 August marked my 18-year Japanniversary… and as it is now traditional, I dropped a blog post with my reflections on the year gone by and the upcoming. Read it here.

Yayoi Kusama, renowned for her immersive installations and sculptures, frequently features pumpkins (kabocha) in her work, adorned with her signature polka dots. Her connection to pumpkins dates back to her childhood, as her family cultivated them, and she views them as symbols of resilience, humor, and the joy of life. Kusama often uses pumpkins as self-portraits in her art. Her sculptures have been exhibited globally, including a permanent yellow and black pumpkin at Benesse Art Site Naoshima in Japan. Her latest work, Pumpkin (2024), is her tallest bronze pumpkin sculpture, standing at 6 meters tall and 5.5 meters in diameter. This piece is on display at the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, London, from 9 July 9 to 3 November, 2024, offering visitors a unique interaction with both the art and its natural surroundings.

At Flannels [161-167 Oxford Street, London W1D 2JP], W1 Curates & Nanzuka Underground present Keiichi Tanaami (1936–2024), the visionary Tokyo-born artist who masterfully fused pop art, surrealism, and Japanese tradition. A graduate of Musashino Art University, Tanaami’s eclectic career spanned roles as an art director, graphic designer, illustrator, videographer, and artist, making him a pioneering figure for today’s cross-disciplinary creatives. His diverse body of work includes collages, prints, drawings, animation, films, paintings, and installations. Tanaami’s art has been celebrated in major solo exhibitions worldwide and is housed in prestigious collections like MoMA and the Tate Modern. His final major retrospective, “Adventures in Memory,” will be held at the National Art Center, Tokyo, from 7 August to 11 November, 2024. Keiichi Tanaami’s extraordinary talent and enduring legacy continue to resonate globally, bridging cultural divides. We extend our deepest gratitude for his creativity and kindness; his art will live on forever.

On 6 August 2024, a momentous event occurred – I ate my first bowl of ramen in the UK. The lucky venue to be bestowed with this honour was Tonkotsu Soho on Dean Street. After Emma and Ken opened Tonkotsu in Soho in 2012, they were inspired by an old ramen chef’s wisdom during their first trip to Japan to start making their own noodles.

Today, Tonkotsu makes all its noodles fresh daily, with the process showcased in the Noodle Room at Tonkotsu East in Haggerston. They take pride in crafting not just noodles, but also broths, katsu curries, gyoza, and sides from scratch, ensuring every bowl is made with love. The restaurant also features premium ingredients like Dingley Dell Pork and Clarence Court Eggs. Gotta say, it was pretty good!

After a few days in London I zipped up to Edinburgh for 10 days which I can only describe as Edinburgh Fringe vs Kanpai Planet! My first evening there I grabbed some beers with someone who knows a thing or two about top brews – Matthew Boynton, co-founder of Sakamichi Brewing, one of my favourite brewpubs in Tokyo!

At The Whisky Trail on the Royal Mile I came face-to-face with a bottle of Shirakawa 1958, one of the rarest Japanese Whiskies and the oldest single vintage Japanese Whisky ever bottled.

Japan’s soft cultural power continues to grow… not least within the worlds of amine, manga and video games. The National Museum of Scotland is holding Game On, the world’s largest interactive video game exhibition. Running from 29 June 29 to 3 November, 2024. This event showcases over 100 playable games from the past 50 years, featuring iconic characters like Space Invaders and Mario. Game On also celebrates Scotland’s significant contributions to video game development and offers an immersive experience into the culture and history of gaming. Tickets are available now at nms.ac.uk/GameOn. Highly recommended.

Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was captivated by the sea, creating around fifty paintings on the subject. The Wave (c. 1869), painted at Etretat, Normandy, depicts a single curling wave about to break. Courbet, known for his strong swimming skills and nickname ‘the seal,’ may have drawn inspiration from Japanese art for this focused seascape.

Leah from Glenmorangie was kind enough to give me a sample of this 23 Year Old Extraordinarily Rare Release, a fascinating collaboration between Dr Bill Lumsden and Japanese flower punk artist Azuma Makoto. All I can say is, “Stay tuned to Kanpai Planet”!

“Stay tuned to Kanpai Planet” really is the catchphrase for the rest of this edition of This Month on Maction Planet. I was privileged to be given the opportunity to film at the Holyrood Distillery. As well as being of personal interest as a cask owner at the distillery, they have been doing some fascinating experiments with barley types and yeast variants, including releasing this New Make made with Sake Yeast No 7 for World Whisky Day 2022. Review coming soon-ish!

One of the highlights of the last month has been the weekend I spent with the legendary Vin PF, creator of No Nonsense Whisky! We had some legendary meals, hit up the Cotswolds Distillery, and filmed some videos together, including some reviews of these 21-year-old ‘Japanese’ Blended Whiskies. Thank you, my friend, for your hospitality, friendship, and fun times. We continue… and Kanpai!

3 Japanese Whisky Myths BUSTED!: The monthly content on Kanpai Planet, our Japan drinks platform, continues! The title of the videos tells you all you need know. That, and the fact that I’m thrilled to announce that my latest video has outperformed all previous Kanpai Planet videos within their first 24 hours! It then went on to hit over 2000 views in its first two days out of the blocks. Thank you all for your support in this corner of YouTube. I truly appreciate it! Oh, and bustin’ makes me feel good!

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