{"id":1360,"date":"2014-07-09T17:00:16","date_gmt":"2014-07-09T08:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ginzaofficial.sakura.ne.jp\/?p=1360"},"modified":"2015-06-26T17:45:05","modified_gmt":"2015-06-26T08:45:05","slug":"%e9%ab%98%e6%a9%8b-%e9%9a%86%e5%a4%aax%e9%ab%98%e5%b6%8b-%e3%81%a1%e3%81%95%e5%ad%90","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/connective\/1360","title":{"rendered":"Ryuta Takahashi \u00d7 Chisako Takashima"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It was my father\u2019s long-cherished dream to open a shop in Ginza<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
We actually have many chopsticks and dishes from Ginza Natsuno at home!<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Really? I\u2019m glad to hear that!<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Ginza Natsuno was one of the only specialty chopstick shops when it opened, right?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
That\u2019s right. When we first opened in 1999, there were only two specialty chopstick shops in all of Japan. I don\u2019t think there were any others in Tokyo, let alone Ginza.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Wow. That\u2019s amazing. What was the reason for starting the shop?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
We decided in a family meeting (laughs). It was my father\u2019s long-cherished dream to open a shop in Ginza. My father originally worked in education, and I worked at an IT company, but we both left our jobs around the same time. So my father, mother and I started talking about starting a shop together.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
And you opened the chopstick shop?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes. We set three conditions for opening the shop. One, it must be in Ginza. Two, we would operate a business that would contribute to traditional Japanese culture, and three, because it would be in Ginza, it must not overlap with the surrounding businesses.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
You have certainly fulfilled all those conditions! That\u2019s wonderful.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
We\u2019ve been running the business for 15 years, but there is no overlap of our business with the others, so the people of Ginza have welcomed us warmly and we get along well with everybody.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Ginza Natsuno<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Lacquered chopsticks, wooden chopsticks, ivory chopsticks\u2026. we have 3000 varieties<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
About how many chopsticks do you have at the shop?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Close to 3000 different varieties.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Oh my! That many? What type do you recommend?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
When it comes to chopsticks, it really depends on personal preference. You can try holding them in the shop, but of course you can\u2019t try eating with them here. The best thing is to try them out and find the ones you like for yourself.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I see.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Feelings differ on the texture when putting the chopsticks in your mouth. Lacquered chopsticks feel very smooth, whereas uncoated wood has a slightly rough feel. Many people like lacquered chopsticks because they have the warmth of wood and a nice feeling in your mouth.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I\u2019m hesitant about using lacquered chopsticks because I worry that they\u2019ll get discolored or scratched.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
You don\u2019t need to worry about that so much. The lacquer itself is sterile, so properly lacquered chopsticks are very hygienic, and you can have them re-lacquered to make them look as good as new.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
What kind of chopsticks do you use?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I\u2019ve brought them with me today. These here are my chopsticks. I like them with thin tips, so I design them myself and have them made by craftspersons.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Wow! They are really long.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I make them long so that they stand out among our family\u2019s chopsticks (laughs).<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
At home, my husband and I use chopsticks with different colored ends. My parents have always used ivory chopsticks. That\u2019s quite unusual, isn\u2019t it?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
That\u2019s because you are from a well-off home.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Not at all (laughs).<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
We also have ivory chopsticks at home. They were made with ivory that was properly regulated by the government.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Do you get many foreign customers?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes. Customers from China, South Korea and Taiwan buy our chopsticks, saying that Japanese ones are easier to use. Many people from Western countries buy them as souvenirs of Japan.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Because chopsticks are part of Japanese culture. There are many different types, so it\u2019s fun to choose.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Takahashi\u2019s long cherished chopsticks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We also offer Konatsu brand chopsticks and dishes for children<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
Do you also design chopsticks and dishes personally?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes, I do. I go to have them made from fine wood, and have them lacquered by an artisan. I go all over the country to have my designs created into chopsticks. I have craftspersons I commission in each area of Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu and even Okinawa. I go to almost all of those places by car.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
You\u2019re very active!<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes. It is also part of my job to find new craftspersons, so I sometimes take off road paths. But, towns that make tableware have also developed a delicious food culture. So, I meet with the artisans and have drinks with people in the town. It\u2019s quite fun.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That sounds nice, like a trip.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I go fishing together with fishermen, and people guide me to the Matsutake mushroom mountains. I have a lot of fun in my job.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Ginza Natsuno also has a lot of tableware for children. Was this your idea?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes. We sell them under the brand-name, Konatsu. As a father, I feel it\u2019s important to raise children using good tableware from a young age.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
It\u2019s important to teach children table manners and culture.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Yes, I think so. If you give children chopsticks that fit the size of their hand as they grow, they will naturally learn how to use them without being taught.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Now that I think about it, I haven\u2019t taught my children either.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Similarly, if you give children a rice bowl that fits the size of their hand, they won\u2019t pick up any bad habits of holding it strangely.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
So that\u2019s the trick! My children learned the characters in their names from their names written on their Konatsu dishes.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
That\u2019s wonderful.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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The great thing about Ginza is that you can enjoy walking around without a worry<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
You manage this Ginza Official website, right?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I originally worked in IT, so I took on this role. I mostly think about future plans and projects.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
What have you been focusing on?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I\u2019m working to make the district information more complete and easier to view. My next task is to make it easy to bring up information about Ginza on a smartphone, so that the information can be accessed even after arriving here. I eventually hope to make a Ginza map app.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I\u2019m sure foreign visitors will be very happy with even more enhanced information when the Olympics start! What do you think is great about Ginza?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
I think an attraction of Ginza is that you can find some interesting shops and restaurants if you veer off the main streets a bit. Shops that have been existing for many years have been going out of business in downtown areas, but a great thing about Ginza is that the old shops coexist well with new ones.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Yes, it certainly is fun to walk around Ginza.<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
Ginza is also great in that it is clean and peaceful. It is excellent for walking around. I hope to introduce more and more of these interesting shops and restaurants on the back alleys on the website.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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The next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
Could you tell us about the next guest?<\/dd>\n
Takahashi<\/dt>\n
It\u2019s Kazumasa Osumi, the president of Shiroi Bara, a long-standing grand cabaret in Ginza. The odd-looking, old-fashioned Shiroi Bara building appears out of the blue in the middle of Ginza, but once you enter, you\u2019ll be totally hooked by the entertainment. It\u2019s fun for women too, so I hope you enjoy the interview.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n

Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n

Official website of Chisako Takashima<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Ryuta Takahashi<\/h4>\n

Owner of Ginza Natsuno. The shop sells many chopsticks and other products including children\u2019s tableware and chopstick rests designed by Mr. Takahashi himself. Chopstick rests are available in a wide variety of shapes such as violins, guitars and other instruments, cars, the Yamato Japanese battleship, golf clubs and much more. <\/p>\n

On days off, he often takes his three daughters in a caravan to places with lush nature.<\/p>\n

Ginza Natsuno Website<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Writer: Mizuho Takahashi\u3000\u3000Interview location: Ginza Natsuno<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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