Latest news with #Karuizawa
Japan Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Between reality and fiction: A summer's day in Karuizawa with Minae Mizumura
Every summer, I find myself escaping into the pages of a certain novel like clockwork: Minae Mizumura's 'A True Novel.' Its evocative, heady depiction of the summer resort town of Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture, more of a supporting character than a mere backdrop for the human drama that unfolds, draws me in to almost forget, for a moment, the relentless humidity of a Tokyo summer — as if I, too, am cooling off under the shaded mountain roads of the summer resort town. It is difficult to summarize 'A True Novel,' published in 2002. At its heart, it is a love story that delves into the transformations Japanese society undergoes in the postwar era, centering on the shifting fate of one affluent family and those around them that get caught up in the tide. I have to confess that, much like one of the book's narrators, I have struggled to shake off the story and have found myself, more than once, visiting Karuizawa to attempt to retrace the characters' steps, wondering if I might come across the two dilapidated Western-style summer houses whose images remain etched in my mind as if they were a specter of the town's true past. "A True Novel" by Minae Mizumura Going to Karuizawa, you can't help but wonder if you will stumble upon a version of the town as it has been mythologized on the page by any number of Japanese writers. Throughout its history, it has attracted greats such as Natsume Soseki, Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Yasunari Kawabata, all of whom were known to spend their summers in the area. Beyond how it is depicted in fiction, it is the real-life Karuizawa — its history and present — that has the power to elicit an inherited nostalgia among its visitors. For one summer afternoon here, I sat with Mizumura, 74, to discuss the significance and draw of the area for her in both her fiction and in her reality, as the place where she pursues her craft. Writing in Japanese For those unfamiliar with Mizumura or her work, she describes herself as 'a Japanese writer who grew up in America from the age of 12, received education in the States, came back (to Japan) and is writing in Japanese.' There is something deceptively simple in the way she represents herself but beyond its surface lies a central truth to her writing career that begins with her return to and reckoning with Japan. Mizumura's choice to write in Japanese, despite being educated in English, was fueled by a certain appreciation for the language. She explains that she has 'always been interested in reading and writing in Japanese.' Being familiar with multiple languages — she also studied French literature at Yale for her graduate studies — means that she is always highly aware of the specific experience of the language she is working in, describing herself as 'a very conscious writer.' However, her focus as a writer in Japanese is not limited to language but also speaks to both a deep appreciation for the Japanese literary canon and a longing for the country of her birth throughout her time in the U.S. (It was reading Japanese literature during this period that kept her linguistically and culturally connected to Japan.) From the critical reception of her debut novel, a reimagining of Soseki's final work titled 'Light and Darkness Continued' (1990), and her bilingual exploration of a Japanese literary genre titled 'An I-Novel from Left to Right' (1995) to her critical nonfiction work 'The Fall of Language in the Age of English' (2008), Mizumura's contributions to Japanese literary canon have always served as both careful reflection and a kind of intervention. Minae Mizumura works at her desk at her cottage in Karuizawa, a popular summer retreat for Japanese writers. | TOYOTA HORIGUCHI It was during her research on literary theorist Paul de Man at Yale that Mizumura arrived at the principle that drives her entire oeuvre: Literature always comes from the text — or more specifically, from other texts. Intertextuality, and the way different texts relate and speak to one another, is apparent in her work not only in how her novels speak to other writers' work but also to each other. It might not be wrong to think of Karuizawa as a kind of 'text,' caught in a kind of intertextual play: repeatedly evoked by writers, constantly reshaped and reinterpreted, and imbued with layers of shifting meaning. On writing Karuizawa In his 1986 book 'My Life Between Japan and America,' the diplomat and educator Edwin O. Reischauer wrote: 'Summers in Karuizawa were not just a break in the year but seemed a whole lifetime in themselves.' Once a post town on the historic Nakasendo trail, Karuizawa was first popularized as a summer resort town during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) by visiting missionaries and diplomats. It soon developed into an international community that also attracted Japanese elites and intellectuals. The area became synonymous with a certain kind of aspirational, Westernized, upper-class lifestyle. Famously, the imperial family would spend their summers in the area, and the exclusive tennis courts here are where Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko are said to have first met. The area is now a popular tourist destination, with visitors drawn to its Western atmosphere — a reflection of the mixture of cultures that created the Karuizawa of today. These exclusive tennis courts are where Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko are reported to have originally met. | HANAKO LOWRY In Mizumura's work, the town plays the central locale in 'A True Novel,' a retelling of Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' set in postwar Japan. She returns to the setting for her most recent novel, 'The Ambassador and His Wife,' which was published last year but has yet to be translated into English. It was through other writers' depictions that Mizumura first encountered Karuizawa, but it was some time before she actually spent any amount of significant time here. After teaching at Princeton, she developed a habit of taking long walks and upon returning to Japan sought a place to continue the practice. She found what she wanted in Karuizawa. This was more than 35 years ago, and she now splits her time between Tokyo and here. 'Where a writer works is very important ... the ability to be able to distance yourself,' she explains. 'Of course it's not a luxury every writer can afford but... a lot of writers do similarly have this need to get away from everyday life. 'There are many writers who came here before me and wrote their works here. There is this evocative, abstract, almost spiritual element (to Karuizawa). And there is also nature to lift your spirits.' Minae Mizumura says of Karuizawa, 'This area has a special history, and when you touch on that history, you touch on a very critical history between Japan and the West." | TOYOTA HORIGUCHI The cottage we're now sitting in became, to quote the title of Virginia Woolf's famous essay, Mizumura's very own 'room of one's own' and is where she has written many of her works. Karuizawa also became a vantage point from which to gain distance from her busy life in Tokyo and holds a valuable perspective when it comes to the themes of her work. 'This area has a special history, and when you touch on that history, you touch on a very critical history between Japan and the West,' she says. 'You can talk of Japan's recent history from Karuizawa.' It was because of this history that Mizumura chose Karuizawa as one of the key settings for 'A True Novel.' The fictional author-like figure in the narrative frame describes how she encountered a story that resembled 'Wuthering Heights' and recognized it as having the makings of a different novel. Similarly, when Mizumura herself considered how she could even approach writing a love story comparable to Bronte's classic but rooted in Japan, a 'true novel' in Japanese — the answer lay in Karuizawa. 'Here you could talk about love in the Western sense,' she says. 'What might seem foreign can happen here.' Visitors walk around Kumoba Pond in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. The pond is referenced in Minae Mizumura's 'A True Novel.' | HANAKO LOWRY She explains that 'Wuthering Heights' and other 19th-century novels were what Japanese writers would have encountered as Western literature following the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Inspired by the notions of romantic love found in their pages, writers, artists and intellectuals were then naturally drawn to Karuizawa — a place that seemed imbued with the same qualities. Whether this was the product of their projected fantasies or inherently true to the area is perhaps now hard to distinguish — where fact and fiction begins becomes difficult to define when it comes to Karuizawa. Mizumura's own novel features numerous locations in the town, from the bar at the historic Mampei Hotel to the scenic Kumoba Pond. This was a very deliberate decision: She wanted the novel, despite its 'far-fetched' premise, to feel rooted in concrete reality. To heighten that sense, photographs of the locations — taken one summer by Toyota Horiguchi, a former Kyoto City University of Arts professor whom Mizumura met at Yale — are scattered throughout. These images, taken almost as evidence for the novel's 'real' unreality, depict the changing face of Karuizawa. Among them are shots of summer houses, nestled in leafy, secluded plots, that hint at the bygone summers of their former inhabitants. Driving through the town's backstreets, in an attempt to trace the locations photographed for the novel, it becomes clear that many of the houses Horiguchi captured have seemingly disappeared. On writing Japan Mizumura took a 12-year break between her last novel and 'The Ambassador and His Wife' due to what she describes as an intensive period of working with her translator, Juliet Winters Carpenter, on the English versions of her previous works. During that time, she often turned to rereading Junichiro Tanizaki and was struck by his later work, which also wrestles with the idea of a Japan that no longer exists. This led her to become fixated on one specific image: a woman dancing in the style of noh by the moonlight. She made it her goal to write the scene into reality. The answer, once again, lay in Karuizawa — a place where 'the mixture of the unbelievable and believable' is possible. And so, 'The Ambassador and His Wife' began to come into being. At around 750 meters long, the Old Karuizawa Ginza shopping street has numerous bakeries and gift shops as well as a tourist information center. | HANAKO LOWRY Mizumura draws upon current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to anchor the novel in the present. Interestingly, she explores the meaning of an 'authentic' Japan through the perspective of an American man who has lived in the country for decades — a point of view she says she had long wanted to write from. The character also resembles what she calls her ideal reader: someone familiar with both Japanese literature and the world outside of Japan. Perhaps that reader also mirrors the author herself: Mizumura writes in a way that speaks to a certain kind of diasporic subjectivity — someone within and without the world they half-inhabit. It's a mindset always half-longing for a Japan that exists in memory alone. She recalls someone from her time in the U.S. that told her this longing for Japan reminded them of the Nikkei community in Brazil, whose reality Mizumura explores in the novel. Thus from Karuizawa, the perspective of an American Japanophile and the Nikkei community, Mizumura's writing continues to explore representations of Japan in various forms, crafting an intimate, prismatic vision that is informed by that inherited nostalgia and which you can't help but think to attribute, in part, to her own writing career rather than began with her 'coming back' to Japan. On writing a life Mizumura's original decision to write in Japanese rather than English was a commitment to write without first catering to global audiences. Still, her work, like that of many contemporary Japanese writers, has reached readers abroad by way of translation. Compared to her views in 'The Fall of Language in the Age of English,' she says she now feels more optimistic about the future of Japanese literature. 'I wrote 'The Fall of Language' thinking that it would only reach a very small audience,' Mizumura says. 'All I want now is for some Japanese writers to write without being interested in being translatable.' As for the 'lost' Japan imagined by the American protagonist in her latest novel, Mizumura says she is more accepting of how Japan is changing now than when she first returned from the U.S. Still, she hopes more government funding will be used to 'preserve that knowledge' of traditional Japanese culture and art forms for future generations. "There are many writers who came here before me and wrote their works here," says Minae Mizumura. "There is this evocative, abstract, almost spiritual element (to Karuizawa). And there is also nature to lift your spirits." | TOYOTA HORIGUCHI Though she considers her latest novel to be her final work of fiction, Mizumura says she is now focusing more on the act of writing memoirs — a natural shift in Japanese literary tradition, she notes, for writers who reach a certain stage. She shows me family artifacts and carefully archived memorabilia in preparation for her next project. In part, this shift is well-timed. With the rise of generative AI, lived experience is something machines cannot replicate. 'There is a kind of appreciation of art forms that can only come with age (in Japan),' she says, citing traditional dance and noh. 'That is something AI can't replicate.' The sun's position in the sky has slowly shifted throughout the course of our conversation and the evening's light has begun to color the living room in shades of twilight. 'I am sure AI will write wonderful stories in the future,' Mizumura says, pausing a moment before continuing. 'I am glad I am shifting to memoir and writing my life's stories as AI cannot write them with the same humanity.'
NHK
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NHK
Museum to open showcasing Japanese TV presenter Kuroyanagi Tetsuko's collection
A museum exhibiting costumes worn and items collected by famous Japanese actor and TV presenter Kuroyanagi Tetsuko is set to open in the central Japanese resort town of Karuizawa on Saturday. The design of the museum building in Nagano Prefecture was inspired by her trademark onion-shaped hairstyle and includes an observation deck. About 320 of her former belongings will be on display. In a preview held on Friday, items on display included a dress designed by the late Mori Hanae, a renowned Japanese fashion designer, as well as a kimono and artworks from both Japan and abroad. Visitors can also view a portrait of Kuroyanagi in her 20s. The foundation that operates the museum said it took about seven years to bring the project to life, honoring Kuroyanagi's wish to preserve her collection for future generations. Around 2,000 items she donated to the foundation will be exhibited on a rotating basis. Kuroyanagi told reporters that she has been visiting Karuizawa since she was a child, so it feels nostalgic. She described her childhood as a period when beautiful or novel things were not available. She said collecting and treasuring things can only be done in times of peace, adding that she hopes that the visitors will appreciate the beauty of the items on display.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fledgling Karuizawa Distillers sets out stall ahead of whisky launch
Japanese single malt whisky maker Karuizawa Distillers has outlined its target markets for its first products when they go on sale next year. Speaking to Just Drinks, CEO Koji Shimaoka said the group would likely 'target three regions' – Asia-Pacific, North America and the EU. Karuizawa began distilling at its Komoro Distillery in the foothills of the Mount Asama volcano in central Japan in 2023. Its first batches of whisky will be available from this location next year. Shimaoka said he expected Asia-Pacific to be Karuizawa's largest market, with the company focusing on Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China. The group also plans to set up a 'global sales hub' in Singapore, to manage its global distribution. As part of Karuizawa's strategy, the company is looking to sell directly to consumers, as well as through "premium channels", such as department stores, hotels and "maybe" travel retail, Shimaoka said. He also expects the US to be an important region for the business. 'Last year, we went to America to participate the whisky show in New York. I can feel the US consumer just really eagerly waiting for our whiskies.' Karuizawa has distribution partners in place for Japan when it brings its first single malt to market in 2026. It also has distributors for the US, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China. In the US, Shimaoka said Karuizawa intended to target the East and West Coast regions as well as further south, such as Texas or Florida and Chicago in the Midwest. Founded in 2019, Shimaoka is the majority shareholder in Karuizawa, alongside Ian Chang, the group's master distiller. Last week, Karuizawa announced plans to build its second distillery, called Furaliss. The site will be based in Furano, a city on one of Japan's northern main islands Hokkaido. The Furaliss location is slated to open in 2028 and is being built together with local conglomerate Seibu Group and the city of Furano. When Karuizawa's products hit the market, they will be priced in the $80-$150 range, Shimaoka said, which means the business is unlikely to see 'as much of an impact' from tariffs when it enters the US. 'It's still okay, because… we are targeting their premium segment, which is more resilient than the low-end priced products.' The company also has a short- and long-term strategy in terms of volumes, Shimaoka said. In roughly six years' time, Karuizawa is looking to produce 100,000 nine-litre cases of whisky. 'Maybe in ten years' time my plan is to take [it] up to 1 million nine-litre cases," said Shimaoka. "I know that's a big challenge but it's doable if we can keep working hard.' In the future, the business would also like to have another two distilleries in Japan, though 'nothing has been set in stone'. Shimaoka also pointed to wanting to acquire 'one or two distilleries in Scotland', though this was not being assessed at the moment. "Fledgling Karuizawa Distillers sets out stall ahead of whisky launch" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Legendary Scottish pit stop marks 60 years with rare whisky sale including £35,000 bottle
The pit-stop is celebrating 60 years by selling over £200,000 worth of rare Scotch from one man's private collection. A legendary Scottish pit-stop is marking its 60th anniversary in style, by offering whisky lovers the chance to snap up more than £200,000 worth of rare Scotch from one man's remarkable private collection. The Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum, Stirlingshire, is a favourite of those travelling up the west coast. It is conveniently placed at the junction of the A82 and A85 for those heading to either Oban or Fort William, or places further afield. The iconic shop, restaurant, and filling station is selling 60 bottles of whisky from the late Derek Wilkie's personal stash, with some of the most prized bottles now fetching five-figure price tags. The exclusive sale is a tribute to Wilkie, one of the founding forces behind the much-loved family business, whose passion for single malt helped shape the shop into the destination it is today, Scottish Daily Express reports. Among the most special offerings is a Macallan 1949 50 Year Old Millennium Decanter, priced at an eye-watering £35,000. Close behind is a Black Bowmore 1964 31 Year Old Final Edition, going for £24,995, followed by the Karuizawa 1984 28 Year Old SMWS 132.1, valued at £19,999. Other highlights in the collection include the Karuizawa 1991 22 Year Old SMWS 132.2, the Karuizawa 2000 12 Year Old SMWS 132.6, and the Macallan Raffles Hotel Singapore 75cl, each priced at £9,999. Sharing the story behind the rare sale in a heartfelt social media post, Edward Robertson, shop owner, keeper of the Quaich, and Wilkie's son-in-law, wrote: 'Derek Wilkie – my father-in-law and one of the founding forces behind our family business – had two great passions: building The Green Welly Stop and collecting single malt whisky. 'In 1974, his love for whisky took him to Elgin, where he sought out one of the most respected names in the industry - 'Mr George' Urquhart, then Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail. "Renowned for maturing and bottling some of the finest single malts in Scotland, G&M seemed the perfect partner to help Derek launch a whisky department in our shop in Tyndrum.' Robertson recalled how Wilkie boldly asked Mr George for whisky stock on credit, a request that was initially declined. He said: 'At first, the answer was a firm no. But if you knew Derek, you'd know he had a charm and persistence that was hard to resist. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "Eventually, he convinced Mr George to say yes, and just like that, our journey into the world of single malt retail began. We're proud to continue what Derek started, still driven by the same passion and spirit he showed that day in Elgin.' He added: 'I like to think of myself as a curator of rare whisky - preserving exceptional bottles so future generations can experience the spirit of a bygone era.' Still a firm favourite with tourists, The Green Welly Stop is a third-generation, family-run business that prides itself on 'Good Food and Fine Shopping.' As its website states, the site aims to cater to all visitors 'covering all spectrums of age, gender and travelling method,' offering everything from hearty homemade meals to a wide range of gifts, outdoor wear, and, of course, an ever-growing collection of rare whiskies.
Japan Times
10-05-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Ayano Kikuchi: ‘People need to take care of themselves holistically'
After years in a corporate Tokyo job, Ayano Kikuchi relocated to Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, in 2020 to manage the town's only year-round yoga studio, W Tree House. Now 37, she has found both healing and purpose in this endeavor. 1. What inspired your family to open a yoga studio in Karuizawa? My mother and I used to organize monthly dinner parties in Tokyo, and we wanted to foster a similar community in Karuizawa. She founded W Tree House in 2018, a space immersed in nature where people can breathe and connect with their core selves while gathering with others. 2. What was your background before managing the studio? I used to be what we call an 'office lady' in Tokyo, with a regular nine-to-five job in the travel industry. I felt a lack of excitement and challenges. Before that, I had spent my youth between London, where I studied, and Tokyo, where my family was. 3. What initially drew you to yoga? I have suffered from chronic back pain since I was a teenager, probably due to frequent flying. One day my mother suggested I try yoga to alleviate the pain, and it ended up helping a lot. 4. How would you describe the significance of yoga in your life? Yoga saved me when I developed a debilitating herniated disk in my back in 2020 due to pandemic-induced stress. With no physical therapy options in Karuizawa during the COVID-19 crisis, I only had yoga to restore my body post-hospitalization. I wanted to share what I learned with other people going through similar experiences. 5. What was the transition like from your previous career? After more than a year of juggling my full-time job in Tokyo and my business in Karuizawa, I was close to burning out. Around the same time, our housekeeper, who'd raised me since birth, was diagnosed with cancer. And my mother became unable to take care of herself due to poor health. So I decided to quit my job in Tokyo and live in Karuizawa full-time to care for my family, our business and myself. 6. How was the shift from working in a Tokyo office to owning a local business? Being in Karuizawa reconnected my mind to my body and I learned how to be responsible for myself. Karuizawa has this nice, slow pace. It's not rushed like Tokyo. 7. What was your yoga journey like? I started practicing in 2014, and finished my teacher certification training back in 2020. I also completed specific training on restorative yoga, facia release yoga, yoga nidra and pain care yoga. Additionally, I have attended the Educate Movement Institute to deepen my knowledge of human anatomy. 8. What does your studio contribute to Karuizawa? The community is very diverse and our studio caters to that through its varied course offerings: ashtanga, hatha, bhakti, power yoga, aroma yoga and so on. 9. What principles underpin the philosophy of your yoga studio? The main aim of the studio is to create a welcoming and judgment-free atmosphere. People need to take care of themselves holistically, not just medically. It's not just about the body, it's also about the heart. 10. What comments do you typically receive from customers? They often say the place is warm and relaxing. They love this quiet space surrounded by nature. 11. How does your studio stand out compared to others in Japan? W Tree House aims to be as welcoming as possible, while studios in Tokyo often focus on performance. People rarely talk to each other there. 12. What led you to choose W Tree House as the name for your yoga studio? My mother named the yoga studio after her former company, Double V, which is how the letter 'w' is literally called in French. It encompasses the idea of duality in life, of yin and yang. That's why our logo is two trees of opposite colors growing in opposite directions. After working full-time in Tokyo in the travel industry, Ayano Kikuchi found healing and purpose in overseeing the yoga studio that her mother founded in 2018. | Aaya Sakaguchi 13. What do you enjoy the most about Karuizawa? I love the peaceful nature. The quiet environment helps me think clearly. Even in the dark and cold winter, there's something comforting about the atmosphere that reminds me of the U.K. I appreciate getting fresh food directly from local farmers and the genuine community spirit. In Tokyo, despite having friends around, I always felt strangely lonely. Here in Karuizawa, I can finally relax and be myself. 14. What has been the biggest challenge you've faced so far? The constant mobility of people has been the biggest challenge, which goes for staff as well as clients. Karuizawa, unlike Tokyo, is a stepping stone to other places for some people. It's hard to say goodbye to clients and staff after spending so much time together. 15. What unique challenges come with operating a business in Karuizawa? There is a low and a high season in Karuizawa. In the summer, most visitors are from big cities; for the rest of the year, our regular customers are locals. These two groups alternate during the year, which makes for quite a unique context. 16. How has the community responded to your studio? People were keen but also skeptical. Some thought it was a kind of cult. So we were careful not to give out the wrong image and focused on the sports aspect of yoga rather than the spiritual side. 17. Do you provide classes for non-Japanese speakers? We do offer English classes! For now, we have one English-speaking yoga class and we're looking into starting a pilates class in English. 18. What personal goals are you pursuing next? I'm interested in learning more about how physical health can be impacted by stress and how to provide holistic care. 19. What does your dream yoga studio look like? My dream yoga studio is huge and international! It's a big building with boarding houses, good food and cafes, where instructors, trainees and students meet. Like a yoga Disneyland with areas for practice, pilates machines and places to unwind. 20. What is your advice for people wanting to open a business in the countryside? Make sure you know the location at all seasons before starting a business in rural Japan, as there might be huge differences from one season to another. And be patient as things might be slower. Also, you need to take part in the local community — not just create a new one.
