This time, we will be talking about something a little different from kendo. As those who practice kendo will know, the origins of martial arts lie in Zen.

Many people practice kendo to master the "way," but there is a company in Kamakura called ZEN ENTERPRISE that spreads the spirit of the "way" through surfing.

Since this is in line with BUSHIZO's corporate mission, I was so intrigued that I went to cover it!

What is ZEN VAGUE ?

Image source: ZEN VAGUE (https://www.zenvague.com)

—It's a very stylish facility. What can you do here?

Tsuchigata : "Thank you very much. We created this facility (named ZEN VAGUE) with the aim of promoting the beauty of Japanese culture both domestically and internationally. It can be used in a variety of ways, including as a lodging facility, gallery, studio, and relaxation salon."

*ZEN ENTERPRISE Co., Ltd. Director Norihiro Hijikata

—What are the most common uses for it these days?

Tsuchigata : "We often have guests from overseas staying here. We also have a studio that is open to the public and is used by local residents. The other day, we had model Rie Hasegawa act as a wabi yoga instructor. We also hold regular workshops that are a big hit."

Image source: ZEN VAGUE

—The gallery is simple and beautiful. Just being in this space makes you feel Zen.

Tsuchigata: "The gallery is also popular. Would you like to see the rooms available?"

—Please, I look forward to it!

Tsuchigata: "This is the room where we're staying. There's a surfboard on display. It was dyed by Nagahara Reki, a famous surfer and indigo dyer from Tokushima Prefecture."

-It's very beautiful... Is the design original to your company?

Tsuchigata: " That's right . It's based on a traditional Japanese design called Seigaiha."

Tsuchigata : "The back side is designed with the image of the whirlpools at the Naruto Bridge in Tokushima. The designer is Tokoro Asao, who was also in charge of creating the logo for the Tokyo Olympics. It was suggested to us by Nagahara, and we decided to use it."

—It's a rare opportunity to see what's going on behind the scenes.

Tsuchigata : "That's right. It's a precious experience because it can only be shown to those who have a special connection with it."

—There's blue scattered throughout.

Tsuchigata : "Do you know the origin of the color Japan Blue? The Japanese national soccer team is known as Samurai Blue. There are many types of indigo, but a particularly dark blue is called 'Kachiai' (winning indigo). Apparently, during the Sengoku period, samurai wore it as a lucky charm. This facility was also built with blue as its main color."

Why we created ZEN VAGUE

*Masuda Shosei, CEO of ZEN ENTERPRISE Co., Ltd.

Tsuchigata: "I started the company with Masuda, who was my middle school classmate. At the time, we never even considered doing business together."

When did you two start thinking about going into business together?

Masuda : "I've always felt that the good aspects of Japanese culture aren't being conveyed to Japanese people . I wanted to convey the teachings of Zen as they are, but I felt that if I went too straightforward, young people wouldn't accept it. I thought about what I could do to help young people understand, and I decided to do it in this way ."

—So in order to communicate, you need to be creative.

Masuda : "I also run a surfing association, and the concept is Kenzen Ichino. It's the same as kendo. It's important to have both technique and mindset. I run it with the desire to nurture athletes with a simpler mindset, rather than a culture that adds to itself."

—That's the very idea of ​​"the way"! Why did you have such an idea, Masuda-san?

Masuda : "I've always been known as an eccentric person (laughs). I wanted to spread the word about the greatness of Japanese culture. It's the same with kendo, but in martial arts that have the word 'do' in their name, older people are often better at it. It's the same with surfing; people over 60 are often better than us."

—Surfing is similar to the road!

Masuda : "Because you're facing nature, it requires mental strength. People who have mastered surfing say , 'Maybe it would be better to call surfing the wave path.' "

—I thought surfing was a different kind of sport from roads, so I'm surprised!

Masuda : "For example, athletes like Ichiro are also very mentally savvy. They have mastered the art of baseball. It's not enough to just build muscle; I want to produce many athletes from Japan who are also mentally highly skilled."

- Why did you decide to promote Japanese culture?

Tsuchigata: "I played soccer overseas, so when I went abroad I realized how wonderful Japanese culture is."

The true nature of the zone is "mindlessness"

Masuda : "A little while ago, the Japanese national rugby team was in the news. Goromaru, a key player, is always conscious of the idea of ​​'mushin' (mindlessness) ."

—The word "mushin" is often used in kendo. Is "mushin" important in surfing as well?

Masuda : "That's important. Nowadays, surfing is often thought of as a set with yoga, but it all started when the famous surfer Gerry Lopez started practicing Zen. He's even been called the 'Zen surfer.' He says that when he's riding the waves, he's close to the state of 'emptiness' in Zen ."

Steve Jobs was also devoted to Zen. Perhaps top business and sports people reach a similar state of mind.

I want to create a market for Japanese surf culture

Masuda : "The Japanese surfing and marine sports industry is nothing more than an agency for overseas manufacturers, so it's not profitable at all. Japanese professionals have a glamorous time when they're young, but they have no way to make a living after they retire ."

—It's tough for soccer and baseball players too.

Masuda: "It's difficult to make a living even as a professional surfer in Japan. I manage to make ends meet by working as a fisherman or doing part-time work at a yakiniku restaurant."

- How do you plan to solve this problem?

Masuda : " I would like to work to make Japanese beach culture a trend among beach cultures around the world. If Japanese beach culture becomes a trend, it will benefit those involved in surfing in Japan. The surfing market is growing particularly rapidly in countries like Korea, China, and Vietnam, so I hope to effectively promote this at the Tokyo Olympics and capture inbound demand ."

—Surfing has become an official Olympic sport since the Tokyo Olympics, so this is a great opportunity to show off!

Masuda : "One of the reasons for this is that we have been building our business at a rapid pace so that we can be ready in time for the Tokyo Olympics (laughs). I want to spread the message of Zen and other fine Japanese culture to people overseas through surfing. I would be happy if this becomes an opportunity for Japanese people to rediscover the fine art of Japanese culture. "

summary

Although the format may be different, I believe that ZEN ENTERPRISE and BUSHIZO share the same goals as a company. Inspired by fellow like-minded people at ZEN ENTERPRISE, I was able to renew my resolve to continue working to spread the beauty of Japanese culture.

If you're interested, please come and stay there! I highly recommend it!

————————————-

ZEN VAGUE

9:00 – 21:00

​7-29 Hase 2-chome, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 248-0016

PHONE​ 0467-81-4405

MAIL info@zenenterprisegroup.com

https://www.zenvague.com/house

Announcement from BUSHIZO

We will send you new articles, new product information, and special offers via email newsletter.
If you register as a new member, you will also receive 1,000 yen worth of points to use at BUSHIZO!
Registration will take just 3 minutes. If you would like to register, we would appreciate it if you would do so.