November 1997

• The Profound Desire of the Gods (Kamigami no fukaki yokubo) - 1968 **
  This one's a bit of a Japanese Local Hero: Kariya-san (there were chuckles of recognition from the hockey fans in the audience), an engineer for a Tokyo sugar company flies to a tropical island to oversee an irrigation project that will destroy sacred land. He meets with benign resistance from the islanders and gradually gains an appreciation for their ways. Things take a turn, however, when the island gets approval for tourist development! Some of the customs depicted are so strange that I thought they were made up, but apparently director Imamura spent 18 months on an island in the Ryukyu Archipelago studying the local culture and making this film. Too long at 2 1/2 hours, but there are some nice beach shots.

• A History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess (Nippon sengo shi: Madamu Omboro no seikatsu) - 1970 ***
  The reminiscences of a colorful, wily Yokosuka mama-san are intercut with archival newsreel footage. A interesting look back at a time when general strikes, mass demonstrations, Diet riots, assassinations and princess stonings were regular occurrences. It's hard to imagine that the Japanese as we know them today were capable of such radical behaviour. Wealth has a way of quieting people down.

• The Ballad of Narayama (Narayama bushiko) - 1983 ***
  An elderly lady prepares to climb a mountain to her death, as is the custom in her rural village. The film effectively captures the intimate link with nature the Japanese once had (and still claim to have). Life was tough! Insight is provided into the origin of many of the dishes in Japanese cuisine.

• My Second Brother (Nian-chan) - 1959 ***
  A family of plucky orphans struggles to survive in a hard luck mining town in Kyushu's Saga-ken. The child actors portraying the two main characters are superb! The bittersweet story is similar to Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka), but with an optimistic ending.

• The Pornographers: Introduction to Anthropology (Jinruigaku nyumon) - 1966 ***
  A small-time maker of adult films struggles to support a single mother and her rebellious teenaged children, but is challenged by gangs. Viewers will be amazed to find themselves actually caring about this sleazy character.

• Pigs and Battleships (Buta to gunkan) - 1961 ****
  I have complained that Japan seems to be producing nothing but yakuza movies lately, but this film shows that it is not a recent trend. In post-War Japan, Haruko, a bar hostess in the U.S. naval base town of Yokosuka, tries to convince her boyfriend Kinta to quit the yakuza so they can get married and lead a respectable life together. The closing scene is great, with an aerial shot of Haruko boarding a train bound for a new job and independence far away from the base, while all the other women run the opposite way to meet the arriving American sailors. This was the Japan of my parents' youth -- materialistic and rushing headlong towards Americanization. I guess I don't blame them for leaving.

• Endless Desire (Hateshi naki yokubo) - 1958 ***
  A more-or-less conventional crime tale: a group of former soldiers reunites to recover a stash of morphine they buried during World War II. Great characters-- the story may have inspired later films like Reservoir Dogs. The landlord's hapless son's efforts to get married provide a hilarious subplot.

• What the Hell! (Eijanaika) - 1981 **
  A young couple working in a carnival get caught up in the tumult of the early Meiji period. A complicated, multi-level plot, necessitating an overly long 2 1/2 hour running time. Interesting from a historical standpoint--one gets a feel for the sweeping changes happening at that time, and people's struggles to find their place in the new order.

Yamase Japanese Restaurant, 317 King Street West, Lunch Sun-Fri 1130 h-1430 h; Supper Sun-Sat 1700 h-2200 h, Sun 1730 h-2130 h; Phone (416) 362-8793
(13 Nov 97)

I dithered over buying some pottery until closing time, then went for supper to Albert's Real Jamaican Food, 542 St. Clair West (just west of Bathurst). Great jerk chicken on rice and peas! Most of their business is takeaway and they're open late, for those with the 2 a.m. growlies.

In the evening I took in this month's Toronto NAJC Art Committee SSAN, featuring Kerri Sakamoto and Lynne Yamamoto. They discussed their collaborative installation piece, Degree of Separation, currently on view at YYZ Artists' Outlet in Toronto (401 Richmond St. W., #123, phone: 416-410-8851). It features each artist's elementary school class photo, linked by a winding trail of straight black hair. Kerri is from Toronto and her class photo is like mine--one Asian face in a sea of white. Lynne is from Hawai'i. The two sansei met by chance in New York when their graduate school assigned them to be dormitory roommates. In developing their friendship, they were able to explore the similarities and differences in their heritage. As part of the National Association of Japanese Canadians website project, I've started something called the Nikkei Nexus in the hope that more nikkei can meet each other virtually-- the results could be interesting!
(09 Nov 97)

The talk was organized by the Harmony International Club and was made to an appreciative capacity audience at the Japan Foundation.
(06 Nov 97)

Tonight I was able to have supper at the recently opened Japanese restaurant Megumi. It's located close to the entertainment district on Front Street, steps from the St. Lawrence Centre and Hummingbird Centre. I've been told by more than one knowledgeable person that Megumi has the best sushi chef in the city. The tempura is good, too, light and crisp. Western and tatami seating, and a darkened room which is modern but manages to retain a traditional Japanese feel. Part of the space is a karaoke bar featuring Japanese hits.

Megumi Japanese Restaurant, 9 Church Street (1/2 block south of Front). Tues-Fri 1030 h-2200 h; Sat-Sun 1600 h-1030 h. Phone (416) 365-0393
(05 Nov 97)

• This Window Is Yours (Kono mado wa kimi no mono) (1994; Dir: Tomoyuki Furumaya) **
  This coming-of-age story about high school seniors in Yamanashi-ken captures adolescent awkwardness and awakening adulthood. It never really reaches a resolution, but in some ways that is accurate.

• Osaka Story (Osaka Sutoori) (1994; Dir: Toichi Nakata) ***
  Director Nakata returns to Osaka after three years in London and tells the story of his family. This was an interesting look at the zainichi (resident Korean-Japanese) society.