Rabbit

2023/01/20

Noriko Takahashi

Culinary Researcher / Representative of NIPPON Okara Project, 1958 Faculty of Law

When people hear the word "Unohana," many likely think of the white deutzia flowers (utsugi) that bloom in late spring, but for me, Unohana is something to eat—namely, okara (soy pulp).

In Japan's first bestseller, "Tofu Hyakuchin" (One Hundred Tofu Delicacies), published in 1783, the Unohana dishes introduced have elegant names such as "Asajidai" (Shallow Grass Red Snapper), "Hatsushimo" (First Frost), and "Machikanekirazu" (Long-awaited Uncut). This suggests that Unohana was popular among the refined hobbyists of the time.

Among the Unohana dishes passed down to the present day, the most beautiful and delicate is undoubtedly "Unohana-mabushi." Opportunities to encounter it have become quite rare, but it is a dressed dish where okara is soaked in water, double-strained, and carefully roasted in a pan until it becomes fine granules. It is then seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar, and egg yolk, and lightly sprinkled over fish or vegetables as if fresh snow had fallen. The sight of the powdered-snow-like Unohana is elegant and beautiful, and it makes one rethink the concept of so-called okara dishes.

In this Year of the Rabbit, it is my wish to increase the opportunities for many people to eat Unohana.

Tatsumi Suguro

Science Teacher, Keio Yochisha Elementary School

The field where I have encountered the most rabbits so far is the banks of the River Thames in Oxford, England. There is a partner school of the Yochisha there, the Dragon School, which I visited five years ago as a chaperone for an exchange program. On a free Sunday, I went for a walk to look for living creatures.

Natural history has its origins in Europe. It was Linnaeus of Sweden who began classifying organisms by giving them scientific names, and there are many organisms in Europe that he named. While I was lost in deep emotion, thinking that the insects and birds before my eyes were the same ones Linnaeus saw in the 18th century, I noticed small animals running through the grassland here and there. They were European rabbits. Linnaeus was also the one who gave them their scientific name. I was delighted by this encounter with a "rabbit of distinguished lineage."

However, after returning to Japan, I learned that the original habitat of the European rabbit is Spain and other areas, and they were introduced to Britain for food and hunting. Unfortunately, that frequency of encounters was the result of them spreading as an invasive species that ravaged native plants. Someday, I would like to see European rabbits behaving in harmony with their surroundings in their original habitat.

Peter Bernard

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Letters, Keio University

Mirror and Flower. What these two characters, derived from the phrase "Kyoka Suigetsu" (Mirror Flower, Water Moon), evoke depends, of course, on the person. From the transcendentally fleeting fantasy beauty of "One Day in Spring" and "The Aftermath," to the humanistic melodrama of "The Woman's Genealogy," and the hatred and horror of "Amagabeni," the more one knows about the author Kyoka Izumi, the more he feels like a presence rich in diversity.

Another aspect was that he was a collector of cute goods. It is said that Kyoka began collecting rabbit toys because of his belief in the "opposite zodiac sign," but it was also a hobby strongly connected to his feelings for his late mother.

However, one can even imagine that the Izumi household had a cute and lively atmosphere due to the massive manifestation of these rabbits. In modern literature, I personally feel that works such as Mieko Kanai's "Rabbits" for its eeriness, and Kelly Link's "Stone Animals" for its wondrous fantasy, have points in common with Kyoka's world, but those commonalities do not lie in the rabbits themselves. The gap felt between the sublime sense of terror in his works and the cuteness of his hobby may be further evidence of Kyoka's creative genius.

Noritaka Chida

Professor Emeritus, Keio University

Miffy (real name: Nijntje Pluis), popular as an adorable rabbit character, was born in the Netherlands in 1955.

Currently, there are many Miffys in my house. Not only on calendars, but also on towels, tableware, and chopstick rests, and a stuffed animal I received from alumni of my laboratory upon my retirement sits prominently on the low table.

My encounter with Miffy was when I saw a poster of her. Miffy, drawn with simple curves against a vivid red background, is of course cute, but what drew me in was the atmosphere she exudes. While other animal characters often have rich facial expressions, Miffy is different. What she is thinking is not directly conveyed. However, because of that, the viewer's state of mind at that moment is reflected in Miffy's expression like a mirror. When I am happy, she seems to be rejoicing with me, and when I am sad, I feel she is comforting me. Miffy is someone who provides healing through such a mysterious "mirror that reflects the heart."