TUTTLE Publishing
Tokyo | Rutland, Vermont | Singapore
Prologue
Everyday life is full of hidden surprises that are waiting to be discovered. I like to develop my own original style by working with images people are familiar with so that they’ll see something new in the things they already know.
Japan is a place where you can buy anything in a shop, so though everyone there has eaten a sushi roll, relatively few people (including me, at one time) had ever made one themselves. One day, I saw a sushi roll with a pattern on the surface and thought it would be very interesting to draw “freehand” on that surface. So, I gave it a try.
But when I actually started to make the sushi roll, I found that the pattern on the surface wasn’t always what I expected. This was because a pattern’s structure depends on the amount of vinegared rice used, the way the ingredients are cut, the layout of the ingredients, the pressure applied when rolling, and so on. I started thinking that this very “uncontrollability” in drawing patterns could actually help me reach my goal.
To this day, we enjoy being surprised by unexpected lines and shapes emerging on the cut surface. Then, we enjoy eating it.
To express the joy in this process I named these entertaining sushi rolls the “Smiling Sushi Roll.” It carries the message of “making it with a smile, viewing it with a smile, and eating it with a smile.”
And as I promote this “edible art” made of rice and seaweed, I intend to keep on challenging common knowledge and conventional ideas.
“God helps those who help themselves”
“ 神に見放された者は自らの手で運をつかめ ”
“The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin
オーギュスト・ロダン「考える人」より
“The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt
グスタフ・クリムト「接吻」より
The unique feature of the “Smiling Sushi Roll” is that you see something different each time you cut. The roll sometimes spins a story through changes in color and pattern.
『にっこり寿司』は、一本ののり巻きの中で色が変わったり、動きが加わったりしてストーリーが生まれることも。 だから切るたびに驚きは増し、見ている人の歓 声は大きくなってゆくのです。
“The Scream” by Edvard Munch
エドヴァルド・ムンク「叫び」より
Memory of My Travels in Spain
This building whose design emerges from the ground almost makes me forget that it’s a man-made object.
My sushi roll shapes are sometimes imperfect, but they get praise because “they’re not too exact.” People have such big hearts!
スペイン旅行の思い出
地面からニョキニョキ生えて来たようなデザインは 人工物であることを忘れてしまいそう。
私の巻き寿司もグニャグニャ、ニョキニョキしているけど 「まっすぐ、キッチリしてないからいい」と言われる。
みんな、心が広いな〜。
“Sagrada Família” by Antoni Gaudí
アントニ・ガウディ「サグラダ・ファミリア」より
Memory of My Journey in Italy
The Leaning Tower of Pisa became a popular tourist destination because of its slant. It’s like that with people too. A quirky person is more attractive than a perfect person who does everything right. Even this tower—its eccentricity kind of makes you want to support it. I supported my leaning tower with cheese. But, I haven’t made it to Pisa yet.
ィタリァ旅行の思い出
ピサの斜塔って傾いたから観光名所になったよね。 人だって何でも出来て完璧な人より、 ちょっとクセがある人に魅力を感じることの方が多い。 この塔だって、みんな思わず支えたくなっちゃうし。 私はチーズで支えてみました。 あ、ピサには行ったことないけどね。
変装するのは男だけじゃない。
