Cover Shooting at Narita Airport

This is a picture of our photographer, Takashi Kurosawa taking a picture of the artwork by Hiroko Sai for our next Ecotwaza Times. The artwork is in the center of Narita International Airport. (We had to pass through so many guards and security centers to come in!) Hiroko Sai, the "Friend of UN" has done so many exhibitions in Europe and even lived in a world heritage... her ways of conceiving space is very different from European artists, I would say it is near to old Japanese philosophy, yet she is not trying to make it "look Japanese". The pictures will be on the next magazine coming out in March!

What is Ecotwaza?

What is Ecotwaza?
Figuratively speaking, Ecotwaza is a bridge stretching from the Japanese archipelagoes towards the rest of the world, on which traverse a caravan of environmental friendly goods. ‘Eco’ is the abbreviation for ‘ecology’ and ‘waza’ is Japanese for ‘technology’ or ‘skills.’ The ‘t’, which can also be viewed as ‘+’ literally means ‘and’ in Japanese. Hence, as its namesake suggests, founded in 2006, Ecotwaza aims ‘to lower the ecological footprint of the global society.’ In order to achieve the expectation, it provides business-matching service between entrepreneurs of small eco-friendly business in Japan and international suppliers through various means of media.

How?
Ecotwaza quarterly publishes Ecotwaza Times—a bilingual magazine, on sale in Tokyo, which showcases environmental technology as well as traditional handicraft by small Japanese business. Ecotwaza could coordinate—for instance, providing translation—during the meetings that hopefully contribute to establishment of overseas partnership. In this February, it will also launch its online shopping portal for the product samples listed on Ecotwaza Times. Moreover, Ecotwaza hosts a monthly salon for personnel from different industries to exchange their thoughts on the environmental issues as well as eco-friendly business.

Why Japan? Why small business?
Japan has had its painful yet a memorable lesson on the environmental issues early; that is, the pandemic of pollution as a result of rapid economic growth in the 1960s. Having learnt from its mistakes, Japan possesses, in its small business sectors, the seeds of state-of-the-art environmental technology. However, since they are relatively small and not equipped with English proficiency, they remain invisible to and untapped by the world. Ecotwaza is, to the eyes of the globe, an electron microscope that magnifies and put into focus the massive hidden potential of the Japanese business seeds.

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An Idea for Your Wedding

In Japan, wedding party is a big thing just like many other parts of the world. Couples usually throw a large party, and after the party give out presents to the attendants. This is a bag of coffee grounds given out as a present at a wedding party. Using fair trade coffee beens, it was especially blended by the married couple. By explaining what fair trade is on the bag design, this present was effective to spread the concept of "fair trade" to indifferent friends in a natural manner. Other presents frequently picked are URUSHI or other traditional plates and hand made products. How about using such nice and enlighting presents for your wedding too?

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Some More about GOTO...

Another thing I loved about GOTO was the number of cats. Possibly because there are many ports, cats were cuddled everywhere, usually half-pets.
And about food... GOTO milk was so sweet and dense, just delicious. GOTO beef, GOTO UDON and HAKOFUGU baked with Miso were great too!!!

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GOTO ISLE Church

This is one of the oldest wooden church architectures in Japan I visited in GOTO. Nagasaki was the place where the first Portuguese Christian missionaries arrived in the Edo period. Goto was a place where they engaged in their first missionary works, and also was the place for banishment when Christianity was banned by the Edo Government. There are many wooden chapels in the area. I attended a Christmas mass, and it was interesting since you had to take off shoes at the entrance, and there was a Tatami space. After the mass we were served GOTO UDON (yummy!) outside. It is nice to see a religion localized.

Goto Isle

GOTO, written "Five Islands" in Kanji characters, is an Isle part of Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu Island. It is consisted of over 100 small islands, with five main islands.
GOTO is a peaceful area with less development, which leaves abundant nature. You can even sight small primary forests. With a beautiful seashore, the best season to visit is said to be summer, but the fish cuisine is best in winter. Many people visit just to enjoy fishing too. There is an island with only one traffic light, and this was built to educate the children traffic law so they don't get into trouble when they go out of their island. If you want to see a "good-old" Japan, GOTO is the place.

Small is Beautiful

Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered
Written by E. F. Schumacher

Another fabulous book. Written in the 70s, this book gives us a deep insight about economics and development. Economics is indeed a great set of theories, however when it is used to "forecast" the future, there are so many uncertain conditions that it suddenly becomes a castle built on sand. This book points out the likely pitfalls that we tend to fall in, which was proven at the time of the oil shock and proved again last year. It also stresses many things opposite to what is thought best. For example, the importance of transferring "Intermediate Technology" (rather old fashioned technology) to developing countries instead of bringing cutting edge techs. Or as the title says, the importance of keeping it "small" instead of making everything as large as possible. This book will be a guide to the next economic era.

HANETSUKI

HANETSUKI is a traditional game in Japan. The rule is simple, two people hit back and forth a HANE (ball with a feather) with HAGOITA (wooden racket). The one that hit back more wins. Everytime you win, you get to scribble on the other's face with charcoal. The picture above was sent to us from the president of Econoix. As we wrote on their article, the ball was traditionally made with soap nut seeds. We see less children playing HANETSUKI withi KIMONO these days, but try it out while you are in Japan! There are many beautiful HAGOITA sold around traditional areas.

HASHI (Chopsticks)

HASHI means chopsticks.
Although there are many theories that explain the roots of this word, an interesting explanation is the one that relates to "bridge". Bridge in Japanese is "HASHI", the same pronounciation but different intonation. The Kanji character differs as well, but the sound came first from ancient Japanese, and the Kanji was applied later on.

Chopsticks is a tool to carry food to your mouth.

Food is life. It used to be life of an animal or plant.
We eat to maintain our life.
So HASHI (chopsticks) is a HASHI (bridge) that connects a life to our life.

When you think about HASHI like this, it makes us think twice about eating too much, or leaving leftovers, or even about throwing away disposable chopsticks. People of the old days burned and placed their chopsticks in shrines after using it out.

Another interesting custom for SHOGATSU related to HASHI is the picture below.

Instead of normal HASHI with one side thinner than the other to make it easier to grip, HASHI for New Years are symmetry on both sides. This is said to be because one side is for ourselves, and the other side is for the God (or Gods, since Japanese tradition is a vague paganism).

SHOGATSU Rules?

SHOGATSU is New Years day.
It is a big holiday in Japan, and we usually spend time with our family at home, or visit shrines for HATSUMODE.
There are many unspoken rules, or traditions related to SHOGATSU.

The ones I like are the OTOSO and OSECHI.

OTOSO is Sake spiced with herbs that we only drink for New Years day.

There are three cups with different size, and we pass it around the family members. Usually, Japanese customs tell us to respect the elders, but in case of OTOSO, the younger one gets to drink first. This is so that the older people can regain youth by drinking after the young ones.

OSECHI is a Bento prepared especially for New Years.

We usually have a similar set of menu each with a meaning, like shrimp (for a long life) and sweet black beans (to be diligent). Of course details vary according to region and family. We are supposed to eat OSECHI for three days. This is to let housewives rest after the busy cleaning and preparing for New Years.

The URUSHI dishes and bento boxes are beautiful, and many families pass it on for generations. These customs reminds us of how we are "kept alive" by many other species and nature. Partying is nice too, but try out this Japanese-style New Years too!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu.
(Meaning "Happy new year" in Japanese)

Wishing that 2009 will be a fabulous year for all of us.