{"id":8475,"date":"2017-08-01T10:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-08-01T01:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/?p=8475"},"modified":"2017-08-06T16:38:09","modified_gmt":"2017-08-06T07:38:09","slug":"%e6%b8%a1%e4%bb%b2-%e6%99%8b%e5%b9%b3x%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\/8475","title":{"rendered":"Shinpei Tonaka\u00d7Chisako Takashima"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

Address at Mitsukoshi, and yet not found on Mitsukoshi\u2019s floor map <\/h4>\n
\n
\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Ginza Mikawaya is currently located on the first floor of the Ginza Mitsukoshi Department Store. Did you change your address when Mitsukoshi renovated? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
No, we are located on the very same spot as before. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Exactly the same?<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. Many people have the impression that we moved because the renovation gave us a slightly new look, but we are actually located in the exact same spot. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Is the restaurant a part of the Mitsukoshi building? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Technically speaking, we share the same address as Mitsukoshi Department Store, but since our landlords are different, we are not a tenant of Mitsukoshi. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Really? That is interesting.<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. Therefore, there is no door connecting our restaurant with Mitsukoshi. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That means that Ginza Mikawaya cannot be found on the floor map of Mitsukoshi Department Store? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes, that\u2019s right.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
You have an interesting relationship with Mitsukoshi.<\/dd>\n
Tonaka <\/dt>\n
The former building, where we first started our business, was built in 1948 (Showa 23), three years after the end of WWII. A great deal of time has passed since then, and with Mitsukoshi\u2019s parking lot next door, we decided to join hands with Mitsukoshi Department Store in re-developing. This is what led to Ginza Mikawaya\u2019s renovation. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I see. When you were renovating, did you consciously retain the old store\u2019s interior style?<\/dd>\n
Tonaka <\/dt>\n
We did try to keep the ambience\u2026 The chair that you are sitting in has been here for almost 40 years. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Forty years! It has been very well kept. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
That is a result of careful maintenance. We have changed the leather on it too.<\/dd>\n
Takashima <\/dt>\n
It looks like your store may have many more antique pieces. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. Some of our customers come to enjoy our antiques. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I guess it is the antique furniture that your store has preserved the old atmosphere even after renovation. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
I think so too.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"\u65b0\u672c\u5e97\u5185\u89b3\"<\/p>\n

Interior of the new main restaurant<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\u65e7\u672c\u5e97\u5185\u89b3\"<\/p>\n

Interior of the old main restaurant<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

An unchanged menu since establishment <\/h4>\n
\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
You mentioned that you started your restaurant here back in the Showa period. How many years has Ginza Mikawaya been in business? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
As a restaurant, we are celebrating our 69th year this year. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Do you mean that the history of \u201cMikawaya\u201d itself dates further back?<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. We had run a grocery store since 1887 (Meiji 20), so that adds up to a total history of 130 years. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
One hundred years in Ginza\u2026<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. My grandfather, the founder, was approached by a landlord to start business here, and we still rent the land from a relative of his. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Really! That makes quite a long relationship. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. My grandfather was born in Yokohama, and he was studying Western cuisine at Hotel New Grand in Yokohama. The people who my grandfather studied Western cuisine with back then were the pioneers that spread Western cuisine across Japan. <\/dd>\n
Takashima <\/dt>\n
So, some people stayed with the hotel, while some left? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka <\/dt>\n
Yes. My grandfather was among those who left. <\/dd>\n
Takashima <\/dt>\n
Have you changed the menu from those times? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Actually, the menu has barely changed. Our current chef, who has been with us for over thirty years, once showed me an old menu. To my surprise, aside from a few differences, including some items that we no longer serve which have been replaced by new items, it was basically the same as our current menu. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That is amazing. What is the most popular dish among your customers? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
That would be our crab croquettes. But our patrons all have their own favorite. Of course, we are aware of their favorites, so when our patrons come to dine with us, we start preparing what they always order. Sometimes, when they order something different from the menu, the kitchen panics (laughs). <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I can imagine (laughs). <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\"\u30ab\u30cb\u306e\u30b3\u30ed\u30c3\u30b1\"<\/p>\n

Crab croquettes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

The quintessence of Yoshoku is that it \u201cgoes well with white rice\u201d. <\/h4>\n
\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I realized that you have reserved quite a lot of space between tables. It looks as though you could fit another table in that space. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka <\/dt>\n
We like to keep it spacious. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That is so wonderful. It allows one to indulge in the luxury of a long-established restaurant. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Thank you. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I find Yoshoku in Japan quite mysterious. It is after all, so Japanese\u2026<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes it is. French, Italian and German cuisine were all initially introduced to Japan as \u201cWestern cuisine.\u201d There was no distinction among the different origins. As the times changed, exotic cuisines came to be introduced to Japan in their authentic styles, as we know them today.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
So, Western cuisine developed in a unique way in Japan? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. The names of the dishes which were first introduced to Japan in their original languages have evolved to sound Japanese, and the dishes themselves have also been arranged to accommodate Japanese preferences, so some foreign diners look surprised when they find that what they ordered is quite different from what they had imagined. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Could you name an example? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
A good example would be our chicken piccata. Piccatas come from Italy, but we serve our piccatas with demi-glace sauce, which is apparently not what a foreigner would expect, judging from the shock on their face (laughs)<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
So, at the end of the day, Yoshoku is Western-style cuisine that goes well with white rice. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka <\/dt>\n
Yes. That\u2019s what I think is the quintessence of Yoshoku in Japan. I believe so and so do our employees. That\u2019s why we offer chopsticks and serve Japanese green tea. We also serve tsukemono (pickled vegetables) with rice.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Yoshoku has become so widely accepted that today, everyone makes Yoshoku at home. <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. That is one of Ginza Mikawa\u2019s challenges \u2013 distinguishing what we serve from home-cooked meals. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\"\u30c1\u30ad\u30f3\u30d4\u30ab\u30bf\"<\/p>\n

Chicken piccata<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

The one and only authentic Ginza – hoping that it will always keep its glamour.<\/h4>\n
\n
\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Japan has become a popular destination for more and more foreign tourists. Do you feel the impact in Ginza? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. Ginza has been receiving an increasing number of inbound tourists, and depending on the day of the week, we find that half of the people walking on Ginza-dori are from overseas. Instead of enthusiastically welcoming or denying foreign customers, I prefer to remain the Ginza Mikawaya that we have always been, taking firm positive steps foward. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Do you have an English menu? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Yes. That is one change we have made, thinking that without an English menu, not only our customers, but we would also be in trouble.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Before we close, could you please tell me what you consider Ginza\u2019s charm? <\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Ginza has unique construction regulations that keep buildings from rising too high, so we can always look up to a spacious sky in the middle of Tokyo. With a passion for flowers, just the sight of a flower glittering in sunshine on a sunny day brightens up my heart. <\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That is beautiful. I admire your mindset.<\/dd>\n
Tonaka<\/dt>\n
Thank you. There are many places named after \u201cGinza\u201d but this is the one and only authentic Ginza. The power that Ginza has is indescribable. Its originality is close to that of Mt. Fuji, in the sense that you can\u2019t find the dignity and grandeur of Mt. Fuji elsewhere. I hope that Ginza will always be the glamorous town that it is, and Ginza Mikawaya is determined to continue work hard as a part of it. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

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

Chisako Takashima official website<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Shinpei Tonaka<\/h4>\n

Born in June 1981. After quitting university, Tonaka joined a private company. He worked in sales for ten years and left the company to take over Ginza Mikawaya, founded by his grandfather. As fourth-generation owner, after his father, he hopes to repay his dear grandfather by celebrating Ginza Mikawaya\u2019s 100th anniversary. His favorite pastimes is appreciating flowers. He enjoys going to flower fields, where the beauty of the flowers makes him feel peaceful.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Kyosuke Akasaka; Place of interview: Ginza Mikawaya<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\u3081\u3056\u307e\u3057\u30af\u30e9\u30b7\u30c3\u30af\u30b9<\/p>\n

Mezamashi Classics with friends\uff5eBest vocalist\uff5e<\/h4>\n

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mezamashi Classics with new recordings by Mezamashi Classics ensemble and the best vocalists in Japan. <\/p>\n

Click here for details, including information on individual numbers.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sorry, this entry is only available in Japanese.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8485,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8475"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}