100th Anniversary of Skiing Commemorative Interview
The Joy of Innocently Zooming down the Ski Slopes
Kentaro Minagawa Talks about the Attractions of Skiing
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The year 2011 marks the centennial of skiing in Japan. One hundred years ago Major Theodor von Lerch from the Austro-Hungarian Empire taught skiing to a Japanese infantry regiment on Mt. Kanaya in Takada in the city of Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture. That was the first time for skiing to be introduced in Japan. In commemoration of the occasion, IHCSA Cafe asked alpine skier Kentaro Minagawa about the attractions of skiing.
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You come from Naeba. Please tell us about your memories of skiing in your childhood.
I started skiing when I was three years old. I grew up in the economic bubble period, so Naeba was always swarming with skiers. There were so many skiers, a lot of bumps appeared on the sides of the course. I had great fun with my friends skiing down those bumps. It was rather like mogul skiing today. The ski patrol called us the “kid racers” and often chased after us. If they caught us, they took away our lift tickets. [Laughs] We didn’t want to get caught, so we would ski over the bumps faster than the patrol. At that time I liked to ski from the top of the mountain to the bottom faster than anyone else. Before I knew it, I was taking part in an international competition at the age of 12.
What do you think are the attractions of skiing, not as an athlete but as an ordinary skier?
I always feel that the air is fresh at ski grounds. At the top of a mountain, the air is really clear. Skiing in the early morning when there is nobody else on the ski slope---not thinking about anything, just feeling the wind. You can feel the wind while riding in a car or on a bicycle of course, but the sensation of skiing on a mountain is completely different.
You have experienced ski grounds around the world. What are the good points of Japanese ski grounds?
Everyone says powder snow is best, but I don’t think that is necessarily so. With powder snow, you get a feeling of floating on the surface, like surfing. And it can be hard, as on ski slopes in Europe, which makes it difficult for ordinary skiers. With the exception of some ski grounds in Hokkaido, the snow on Japanese ski slopes contains a little moisture. Actually, the quality of Japanese snow is better suited to the skies. It’s easier to edge, and the equipment seems to work well. So I think Japanese ski grounds have good snow.
One more attraction of Japanese ski grounds, of course, is the hot springs. Some ski grounds in other countries also have hot springs, but it is only in Japan that hotels have onsen. In Switzerland and elsewhere they have spas, but they do not have the atmosphere of Japanese onsen resorts.
And another good thing about Japanese ski grounds is that there are various types. Naeba is like an urban ski ground; it is neatly equipped and easy to ski on. In Hakuba the mountain is big, so the course is incredibly long. Shiga Kogen is cone-shaped, so you can enjoy various courses on all sides.
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What have you gained by competing at the top level in the world?
At the Turin Olympics I missed winning a medal by 0.03 seconds. That’s how harsh a world it is, but nevertheless after every Olympics for me it’s been a cycle of suffering an injury and spending the next four years recovering in time to participate in the next Olympics. They say that top-class athletes don’t get injured, so in that sense I’m certainly not top class. [Laughs] But because of the injuries, rather than the hurdle of performances, I think I have experienced the hurdles of life. Since I have got over many hurdles that have required much more than plain effort, I have learned about the order of priority of things. If everything goes well, your mind races ahead and you crave for this and that. But I have experienced times when I couldn’t even walk let alone ski, so now the number of things that I want has decreased. Apart from things like being able to ski and having people around who support me, I have come to realize that there is really not so much that is necessary. The grass doesn’t appear greener on the other side! [Laughs]
We can look forward to your performance at the next Sochi Olympics, can’t we?
At Vancouver I was desperate just to participate. I was thinking about this and that and really didn’t have maximum concentration. In a top-level competition, the injuries that I had sustained on both knees were a heavy reality. You can easily talk about recovery from injury, but the reality is not so simple. Now, however, I am able to see the essence without averting my eyes from unpleasant things. It’s hard, but I am training with the belief that there is a way out. I am not top-class [laughs], but I think there is a possibility of my finishing in the top three in the world.
We are looking forward to your continued achievements as an active athlete. But looking farther into the future, what are your ambitions?
I think being an active athlete is just the first stage of my career. At the moment I am 33 years of age. I have already decided what I would like to achieve by the time I’m 60. I often discuss this matter with Aiko [his wife Aiko Uemura, a mogul skier]. Our generation was brought up in an environment built by the preceding generation, so I would like to help build the environment for the next generation. For example, Japan built the world’s first urban-type ski dome in Funabashi, but today, when many ski domes have been built elsewhere around the world, it no longer exists. So one of my dreams is to resurrect a ski dome where people can ski throughout the year. I want to work toward building an environment that can turn out Olympic skiers. It might seem like a big goal, but you can’t do something unless you first of all have a desire to do it, can you?
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The year 2011 is a commemorative one. It marks the centennial of the first introduction of skiing in Japan. Do you have any plans for the occasion?
Well actually, in my first year at senior high school, I skied at Takada in Niigata Prefecture. That is where Major Lerch taught skiing to Japanese for the first time, so it is the birthplace of skiing in Japan. Given that connection, I am scheduled to participate in various events commemorating the centennial. In addition, I am now building a course at Naeba for my own training, and this winter I will ski there together with “kid racers.” Rather than teaching, I hope it will be a case of just shouting “Follow me!” and enjoying skiing through the wind with them.
【Profile of Mr. Kentaro Minagawa】
Minagawa was born in Yuzawa-machi, Niigata Prefecture, in 1977. He is 173 cm tall and weighs 82 kg. He graduated from Nippon Sport Science University and now belongs to the Takemura Sogo Setsubi Ski Club. In 1998 he participated in the men’s slalom at the Nagano Olympics. In 2000 he earned the nickname “ski revolutionary” for his use of short carving skis (168 cm), which were not common among professional skiers at that time. In 2001 he placed 18th in the overall men’s slalom World Cup and 10th in the World Ski Championships, thus entering the first seed (the top 15 in the world). He appeared in the men’s slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. In the same year he tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee at a competition in Yuzawa Onsen. In 2006 he came fourth at the Turin Olympics, thus recovering his place in the first seed. But in the same year he injured the cruciate ligament in his right knee during training. He took part in the men’s slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Kentaro Minagawa official blog: http://ameblo.jp/kentaro1up (Japanese only)
Cooperation: Sports Biz Co., Ltd.: http://www.sports-biz.co.jp/en/index.html (English)
Photos: Fumio Kimiwada; courtesy of Sports Biz Co., Ltd.
The Warm Hospitality of the Snow Country
Japan’s regions are rich in unique seasonal expressions. In the snow country, this very oment people are braving the snow and living together with the snow. The city of Minamiuonuma in Niigata Prefecture is one of the snowiest districts in Japan. Although it is only about two hours away from Tokyo by train, the snowy scenery all around gives visitors the feeling that they have arrived in an unknown world. In this issue, IHCSA Cafe introduces the hospitality and wintry elegance of two hot-spring ryokan in this district: Irorian, which is located in the town of Muika-machi in Minamiuonuma and is surrounded by mountain valley nature, and Ryugon, which has superb buildings reconstructed from the residences of village headmen and wealthy farmers in Echigo (present-day Niigata Prefecture).
Buried snugly in snow: Irorian
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Enjoy the snow as you please
The snow in this region usually lies more than two meters deep and creates a silvery white world spreading out in all directions. Piling up much higher than the human body, the heavy snow mercilessly puts pressure on both people and things. Nevertheless, the experience of being enveloped by snow is magical. Especially on a night with a full moon in a cloudless sky, the sight of sparkling blue moonlight reflected off the snow is simply indescribable. And although the winter in this region is certainly harsh, the severity is relatively mild. There are actually very few blizzards; the snow seems to wrap around you like fluffy down. It is, therefore, a good region for people living in big cities and not so accustomed to snow to visit.
The hot-spring ryokan Irorian at Uenohara Kogen Onsen is buried snugly in snow as well. People who come here for the snow use Irorian as a base from where to go out and enjoy the snow to their heart’s content, walking around fields of untrodden new snow or strolling through snowy forests following the footprints of animals. Guests are recommended to wear the traditional snowshoes rented out by the ryokan to prevent their feet from sinking into the snow. The paddy field behind the ryokan has been developed as a kid’s playground especially for family guests. Both children and their parents completely forget about the passage of time as they have fun in the snow, joyfully riding on sledges or building
snowmen. Some people put on hooded straw raincoats and become snow fairies. There is also a kamakura (snow hut) with room for about 10 people. You can enjoy a very memorable time in the late afternoon here, enjoying the toasted rice cakes and shiruko porridge that are served in this hut. The snow lanterns in front of the ryokan’s entrance greet guests arriving after dark with an air of fantasy.
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A leisurely, peaceful break
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After all that fun in the snow, the hot-spring baths are just what you need to soothe your exhausted body. At Irorian, there is an outdoor bath where you can gaze at the snowy scenery while soaking in the natural hot-spring water. There is also a herbal bath that is said to have various medicinal benefits.
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Inside the ryokan, the atmosphere is countrified and composed, and the antique folk crafts displayed here and there add to the charm. Guests can take their delicious meals seated around an irori (sunken hearth), from which the ryokan takes its name. The menu consists of seasonal dishes with mainly local ingredients plus seafood caught in the Sea of Japan. Choice sake from the ricegrowing Echigo region goes down very well with the cuisine.
The annex, a dismantled and reconstructed old cottage, is used as a tea ceremony room. After your meal, you can spend a pleasant evening here enveloped in a historical atmosphere, listening to the proprietress talk about local folk tales, traditions, and the lifestyles of people in the past.
Repeaters come to enjoy the four seasons
Irorian offers various seasonal plans to enable guests to fully enjoy their stay whenever they come. “They have chosen to come to this locality,” says the ryokan, “so we want them to get the most out of their stay.” Throughout the year guests are able to experience making cloth sandals and soba noodles using local buckwheat flour. At the adjacent Soan soba restaurant, the newly made soba with tempura of fresh mountain vegetables is truly superb. From mid-June until late August there is the fantastic spectacle of dancing fireflies. And autumn brings the satisfying taste of ricepot cooked new Minamiuonuma Koshihikari rice, said to be the best in Japan, and freshly harvested natural mushrooms.
Irorian also emphasizes supplying guests with local information that is most appropriate for them. The proprietress and staff endeavor to provide warmhearted hospitality in a casual manner.
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Irorian Uenohara Kogen Onsen, 2089-4 Koguriyama, Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture 949-6636 Tel: 025-773-5847 Fax: 025-773-3110 URL: http://www.irorian.co.jp (Japanese only; English page under construction) 【Access】 By train: Take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station or Urasa Station; change there to the Joetsu Line and get off at Muika-machi Station; 10 min. from there by car; pickup service available By car: 10 min. from the Muika-machi Interchange on the Kanetsu Expressway |
Majestic and tranquil: Ryugon
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Saturated in an atmosphere of history
Ryugon, which takes its name from a temple that existed on this site in the past, makes visitors recall what Japan must have been like two centuries ago. The main building consists of former mansions belonging to village headmen and wealthy farmers that were relocated to this site; they were built 150-250 years ago and have withstood severe snowfalls ever since then. It is a wonderful example of a traditional Japanese architectural style; in particular, the stout beams and pillars are characteristic of the snow country. “Coming home”--Ryugon kindles the nostalgia that lies somewhere deep in the subconscious of the Japanese.
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After passing through the imposing black gate, guests are first of all shown to one of the drawing rooms (Otsuki no Ma) to rest their limbs after a tiring journey. These rooms were actually used as a living room and studies in the mansion of generations of village headmen in the later Edo period (1603-1868). The old timber gives a sense of solidity and warmth, and the sunken hearth and antique furnishings are restful on the eyes. Imitating the layout of mansions in the past, the long black-luster corridor stretches in a complicated fashion. As you head for the guest rooms, your attention will be frequently caught by the exquisite ornaments displayed along both sides and the plants outside the windows. Strolling around the large green garden, with its tea room annex, fountain, and waterfall, you will suddenly notice that you have forgotten all about the present world and are feeling quite relaxed both physically and mentally.
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Unsparing and warmhearted service
The ryokan grounds cover nearly 53,000 sq. meters, larger than Tokyo Dome, and there are 36 purely Japanese-style guest rooms with varying room plans and carefully arranged to offer pleasant views from their windows. Each room was named by head priests of Eiheiji, a head temple of the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism, and Untoan, known as the foremost temple in Echigo. In winter every room is equipped with a kotatsu (a lowtable used as a foot warmer), and charcoal fires are lit in rooms with irori (sunken hearths). So however cold it might be outside, guests can keep themselves warm.
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There are eight baths, including an outdoor bath from which the snow falls within reach, and guests can enjoy the atmosphere while warming themselves to the core. The sweet sake drinks that are served free of charge, made by local “grandmas” using methods inherited from the past, are a special treat in this region of harsh winters. And every evening from autumn until spring Ryugon holds rice-cake pounding meetings using mallets and mortars. Guests can enjoy the taste of freshly made rice cakes that have the extremely fine texture and stickiness unique to this region.
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In addition to the local cuisine and seafood from the Sea of Japan prepared by the cooks, every morning and evening the staff members take turns to toss firewood into the cooking stove and prepare rice according to the meal schedules of the guests. The Ryugon staff spare no effort to ensure that guests enjoy freshly cooked local Koshihikari rice with their meals. The kenchinjiru (vegetable soup) and pickles are simple, but they fully bring out the taste of the fresh food materials of this region, which is blessed in terms of its climate, clean water, and soil. They are carefully prepared and homely gems that only the “grandmas” born and brought up in this area know how to make. Furthermore, another popular attraction at Ryugon is the sight of freshly caught seasonal river fish being grilled vertically over a charcoal fire.
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Affection for an irreplaceable region
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Whether rice-cake pounding or rice cooking, Ryugon makes no concessions in terms of giving guests the real thing according to how it was done in the region in the past. Guests can see, touch, and admire the Echigo traditions displayed everywhere in the facility, and they can listen to folk tales read in the local dialect. Services are provided in a way that stimulates the five senses of visitors. At the root lie the united, earnest, and unceasing efforts of staff members to convey their own sincere affection for the locality.
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Ryugon 79 Sakado, Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture 949-6611 Tel.: 025-772-3470 Fax: 025-772-2124 URL: http://www.ryugon.co.jp/ryugon (English) 【Access】 By train: Take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station or Urasa Station; change there to the Joetsu Line and get off at Muika-machi Station; 5 min. from there by car; pickup service available By car: 10 min. from the Muika-machi Interchange on the Kanetsu Expressway |
Photos:
Courtesy of the ryokan and the Commerce and Industry-Tourism Department, Minamiuonuma-City
Harnessing Ties Among Factories for Monozukuri
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Mr. Takashi Tanaka
President Yasuhisa Koki Biomechanics Co.
Tokyo’s Ota-ku is well known for its many small and medium-sized neighborhood factories possessing world-class technological strength. At the peak there were more than 9,000 such factories in the district, but in recent years many have been forced to close down as a result of a drop in business as larger companies, the source of their work, transferred their plants overseas, the difficulty of finding people willing to carry on the business, and other factors. The number has now dwindled to less than a half, around 4,000. Nevertheless, these neighborhood factories are still making headlines. IHCSA Cafe visited Yasuhisa Koki Biomechanics Co., a local firm that continues to grow and is especially famous for its development of artificial hearts, and spoke with its president, Mr. Takashi Tanaka. Mr. Tanaka plays a leading role in the local Yokouke Network (Cross-Contracting Network), which places great importance on original ideas and ties among factories.
Gathering of outstanding technologies possessed by small neighborhood factories
>> What is the monozukuri (craftsmanship) that is so important to you?
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Ever since my father founded our company in 1969, rather than simply scrounging work from large companies, we ourselves have been involved in the design and manufacture of prototype products and various devices that large firms cannot make.
In the processing of materials required for prototypes and product development, we handle all kinds of materials, from metals to resins and rubber. This is possible because we farm work out to more than 50 cooperative companies and engineers with their own outstanding technologies. We call this yokouke, or cross-contracting.
My role is to act as a coordinator linking one technology with another. In practice, I serve as a kind of handyman, or convenience store if you like!
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In dealing with both clients and cooperative companies, I try never to forget to show thoughtfulness and consideration. At the same time, though, sometimes I say what has to be said, even to clients, and I ask cooperative companies to actively give me their opinions too. When it comes to monozukuri, I don’t compromise.
Monozukuri means standing in the user’s shoes
>> Please introduce some products developed by Yasuhisa Koki Biomechanics.
In the five-year period from completing graduate school to joining Yasuhisa Koki
Biomechanics , I was involved in the research and development of artificial hearts at the National Cardiovascular Center. Since then, my lifework has been the development of the mechanical blood circulation simulator, which is a test device to investigate the performance and durability of artificial hearts, blood flow, and so on. By using this device, it is possible to reduce the number of animal experiments.
Products that we have developed recently include a tactile drawing pen called Mitsuro-kun, which has pleased visually impaired people immensely. This pen uses beeswax as ink. Drawn lines rise and harden, so visually impaired people can get an image by feeling them with their hands. The pen can be used on paper of almost any material, and repeated corrections are possible simply by scraping off the beeswax with a spatula.
This tactile drawing pen is already being used in several schools for the blind, and with the cooperation of dyeing and weaving artists, we are also experimenting with batik-like techniques (beeswax dyeing) using it.
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Another interesting product of ours is the foldable color cone for use as a marker in roadwork and so on. When the cone is not being used, it can be folded up and stored in the trunk of a car, where it does not take up much space.
The important thing about monozukuri is to make products from the point of view of the people who are going to use them. A product can only be described as good when it gets accepted in the market.
Finding refreshment in exchange with other cultures
>> What do you like to do in your free time?
I am very interested in other cultures, so I like to be a home-stay host. And when I go overseas, I like to stay with ordinary families so that I get a good understanding of that country’s culture, customs, and lifestyle. Once, when I was visiting Mexico, I stayed in a private home in the town of Camargo, which is in the north of the country. My host was a middle-aged woman. In my profile sent beforehand, I had written that I liked alcohol, so she had two bottles of tequila, named “100 Years,” waiting for me. She said that one bottle was for drinking during my stay and the other was to take back as a souvenir.
The infrastructure in Camargo is not as good as Japan’s. There are water stoppages and power stoppages. But the people who live there seemed to be very happy and full of life. I couldn’t help but wonder which is the happier place: Japan, where life is convenient and people have everything, or Camargo, where life is often inconvenient but people are very warmhearted.
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Only neighborhood factories, but very important role
>> What are the prospects for the small neighborhood factories in Ota-ku, and what are your own ambitions?
There are still many neighborhood factories in Ota-ku with outstanding technologies that are unique in the world, and I think they will continue to pool their know-how and develop new products for niche markets.
Personally, as well as my work, in order to expand the scope of neighborhood factories, I would like to hold visiting lessons and factory practice for local elementary and junior high school children and convey the enjoyment of monozukuri to young people.
Monozukuri is my joie de vivre, so I will most likely continue making things at this factory until the day I die.
Profile of Mr. Takashi Tanaka
Oct 1955 Born in Tokyo.
Mar 1982 Graduated from the Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
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1982-86 Trainee in the Department of Artificial Organs, Research Institute, National Cardiovascular Center; involved in the design and manufacture of a blood circulation simulator for artificial hearts.
1986 Joined Yasuhisa Koki Biomechanics Co. Engaged in the design and manufacture of prototypes for customers and the company’s own products.
2006 Appointed president of the company.
Mar 2008 Entered the doctoral course in life science and engineering of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University; left the university after acquiring the necessary credits.
Yasuhisa Koki Biomechanics Co.
http://www.yasuhisa.co.jp/ (Japanese only)
Photos: Fumio Kimiwada
