Interview with Takanori Nakamura, 7th Dan Kendo and Gourmet Critic

Takanori Nakamura Born in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Active in magazines, newspapers and on TV, he writes about luxury lifestyles such as fashion, culture, gourmet food, travel and hotels. In 2007, he was awarded the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Champagne in France. In 2010, he was also awarded the title of Cava Knight by Spain. (Cava is the name for Spanish sparkling wine.) Since 2013, he has also served as the Japanese Council Chairman for the World's 50 Best Restaurants, which ranks the world's most popular restaurants. He is a 5th-dan kendo instructor and a professor of tea ceremony at the Dai Nippon Chado Gakkai (Great Japan Tea Ceremony Association). (May 2017)

A new challenge as a food critic

-First of all, could you tell us about your work? Mr. Nakamura(Titles omitted below) "I mainly write columns. I also write essays, but I often contribute to magazines under the title of columnist. Recently, I have also started writing regularly for the Nikkei Shimbun." -You also serve as the Japan Council Chairman for the World's 50 Best Restaurants. 中"Originally I was a writer, but when I started appearing regularly on NHK BS1's international information program "Chikyu TV El Mundo" in 2013, I started getting more work to do talk events and lectures in addition to writing. I was recently chosen as the main personality for the InterContinental Hotel Group's globally distributed commercial as a food critic, and I think I'll be getting more requests to write food reviews in the future." *"Refinement - A Pleasant Experience for the Five Senses" (starring columnist and food critic Takanori Nakamura): Japanese version) https://life.intercontinental.com/ja/sophistication/ English version) https://life.intercontinental.com/sophistication/ -What kind of genre is gourmet criticism? 中"It's a critique, so I guess it falls into the category of literature. As a critic, I think there is a demand for quality in the expression, whether it is critique or not." -What is the difference between cooking and gourmet food? 中"The word 'gastronomy' has recently become popular in the global food industry. Literally translated, it means the study of fine food, but gastronomy is not just about the food on the plate; it also encompasses the cultural and aesthetic elements surrounding it, such as the historical background and artistic sensibility of the recipe, the tableware, the spatial design and architecture of the restaurant, and even the wine, alcoholic beverages, and cigars that are paired with it. The concept of gastronomy has a short history, but just as car criticism and photo criticism have become global genres over the past 150 years since the birth of photography and the automobile, I believe that gastronomy criticism will also mature as a genre in its own right. Since it is the food part of the three necessities of life - food, clothing, and shelter - I believe it is an important part of human activities." -It's a job that requires a wide range of knowledge. Why did you decide to become a food critic? 中"I can only say that it happened by chance, but whether I'll be able to become a worthy food critic will depend on what happens in the future (laughs). I love eating, but to be honest, I didn't want to get too close to this industry. Food is a specialized field with a considerable history. To evaluate or critique, you have to actually go out and eat, which is tough both physically and financially. However, as was the case with the request to be the chairman of the Japan Council for the World's 50 Best Restaurants, if an offer comes along and it seems interesting, I will generally try it. There are probably easier ways to make money, but I seem to be the type of person who prioritizes jobs that I find interesting."

Kendo is not a hobby, nor is it a job.

-What does kendo mean to you, Nakamura? 中"Sometimes people say, 'Kendo is just a hobby, right?' or 'It's just a pastime, right?' but I don't think of it as a hobby. I don't do it as work, but it's not a hobby, and it's not a pastime either. I can't tell my clients this, but sometimes I prioritize kendo over work, and in the past I even prioritized it over dating (laughs). Of course, work is important, but I take it just as seriously." -Is there anything about your experience in kendo and tea ceremony that you are able to use in your work? 中"My job is to communicate with people. If you think about it, a salesperson's job is to communicate through their products, and an engineer's job is to communicate through systems and ideas, but in my case, I use sentences and words to directly convey messages and images to others. In the sense of moving the other person's senses and hearts, I think there is something in common with kendo or the tea ceremony." -Is it between? 中"That goes for timing and speed. I think that this is also relevant to the secrets of kendo and the tea ceremony. For example, the way Japanese and foreigners use timing when communicating is different. Westerners show close relationships by hugging or shaking hands. If you can observe the other person and use timing flexibly, your relationships and work will go much smoother. In kendo as well, the timing when practicing with a child will naturally be different from the timing when practicing with an eighth-dan teacher. Recently, I've come to realize once again how important a sense of timing is, whether in work or kendo."

What is the meaning of doing kendo?

中"Just as it was for me, kendo is often useful in the future, so I always hope that many children will try it." -People don't really understand how it can be useful. 中"It may seem paradoxical, but recommending something just because it's useful doesn't mean it will work. I think this is true for many kendo practitioners, but honestly, the question is whether it was ultimately useful. It's the same with tea ceremony; if you start because you think it will be useful, you probably won't continue for long. Whether it's tea ceremony or kendo, if you can't enjoy the moment itself, you won't continue, and ultimately it won't develop into that person's style of tea ceremony or kendo." —Isn't it bad to be too hung up on form? 中"In both kendo and the tea ceremony, the basic forms are very important. This is because forms have been refined over many years and are the most rational. However, if style and conventions take priority over everything else, you can stray from the essence of the tea ceremony. Even in the tea ceremony, there were no styles like we know them today before Sen no Rikyu. Originally, people seriously considered how to arrange flowers, scrolls, and utensils to entertain their guests, and what their preferences were. I think the true joy of tea ceremony is the serious competition, which can also be called the way of hospitality. If style preferences and conventions take priority over everything else, the tea will not come alive. Of course, I think the quickest way is to follow and practice the techniques devised and honed by successive masters, but at some point you have to go beyond that." -It's Shu-Ha-Ri. 中"If the goal is to express one's tea ceremony or kendo, I think it's important to have a sense of awakening, to go beyond the basics while still building on them." -What does that person's kendo or tea ceremony mean? 中"We can share an image of what Ueshima's kendo is like, or Kudo's is like that. You can even call it a style of swordsmanship. I think it's important for people to create their own style of swordsmanship and make them believe that they will continue to hone that style. Ultimately, I think it's good for each person to hone their own style and become stronger." -This is a simple question, but why do you continue practicing kendo, Nakamura Sensei? 中"I continue doing it because I love it." -We continue doing it because we love it and it's fun. 中"The feeling of enjoyment is also important. When you practice kendo, you feel like time has stopped, and that feeling is something you can't experience anywhere else. The feeling you get when you are immersed in a manuscript, or the feeling you get when you are concentrating on making tea, is similar, but the reality of kendo is special." Where do you think that reality comes from? 中"I think it's because kendo confronts death. Even if it's a simulated experience using a bamboo sword rather than a real sword, you're still going to cut and kill your opponent. You're facing a certain kind of human karma. At the same time, you have to face the fear of not wanting to be killed or not wanting to die. I think the state of mind that is reached in between, where you can make the most of both yourself and your opponent, is what we call 'katsujinken'. I'm nowhere near that state of mind, but I feel that there is a certain artistic quality to kendo in the way it explores this through martial arts. I think such a unique art form is rare in the world. I believe kendo should be registered as a World Cultural Heritage site." -What does it mean to seek artistic value? 中"Finding beauty in the technique itself and seeking a noble spirit, such as 'refusing to use dirty tricks,' is artistic, and I think it can be called martial arts. And then adding an aesthetic sense to it. Kendo, which finds beauty in killing and being killed, is a unique culture unique to Japan, and I would like people around the world to know more about the true essence of this appeal. —What do you want to convey to people around the world through kendo? 中"In today's situation, where war and terrorism show no signs of ending, people around the world cannot find a way out to peace. I believe that humans have a fundamental karma that makes them want to fight. It's not the sword of life that I mentioned earlier, but kendo is about facing your own murderous intent and fear, and the ultimate secret is to make the most of both yourself and your opponent. What's more, there is also a sense of beauty involved in the competition. You won't find such a unique martial art anywhere in the world. I don't believe that kendo will solve all the world's conflicts in one go, but I do believe that kendo holds some kind of hint for peace and a clue to solving problems. I wish everyone all over the world would take up kendo. Really (laughs)." -Seeking artistic value in the midst of killing and being killed certainly seems like a uniquely Japanese culture. Thank you for sharing your valuable story with us today. interviewer ◎ Representative Director: Go Ueshima Born in Sendai in 1987. While in the Sendai High School Kendo Club, he studied under Mitsunobu Sato and made it to the top eight at the Inter-High School Championships. After graduating from university, he worked as the business development manager for a restaurant chain with 200 stores across the US. After working in sales at a foreign internet advertising company and as the head of the sales department and president's office at Innova Co., Ltd., he founded Bushizo Inc. in January 2017. ◎Director: Yusuke Kudo Born in Hokkaido in 1984. Graduated from Rikkyo University's Faculty of Law. While in school, he launched a free magazine and provided marketing support for an apparel brand. In 2008, he joined Yahoo Japan Corporation, where he worked in sales of advertising products such as search advertising and display advertising. In January 2017, he founded Bushizo Inc. He began practicing kendo at the age of six and continues to practice it to this day.

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