Barley

Masunao Aso

6th Generation President of Yatsushika Brewery Co., Ltd. • 1981 Pol

Located in the mountainous area of central Oita Prefecture, Yatsushika Brewery is a sake manufacturer founded in 1864. It was during my generation that the brewery decided to release its first barley shochu.

Wanting to create something I could be proud of anywhere, I traveled to the United States in 1985 and successfully purchased oak barrels from Jim Beam. I started by aging barley shochu in barrels. It was, so to speak, a barley shochu of a higher rank. Thirteen years later, I named the shochu "Ginza no Suzume" (Sparrow of Ginza) after Ginza, the most famous entertainment district in Japan, and the sparrow (suzume), a bird that exists all over the world except for the North and South Poles.

"Ginza no Suzume" is also the title of a song named after the drinkers who once spent their nights in Ginza, elegantly getting drunk and talking with friends while forgetting the passage of time, likening them to sparrows. The lyrics were written by Akira Nogami, composed by Takio Niki, and sung by Hisaya Morishige, released in 1955.

Today, they have begun to fly around chirping not only throughout Japan but in entertainment districts all over the world. Following them is my pleasure.

Chie Sato

Representative of My Sweets Parlor (Low-Carb Sweets Specialty Store) • 2007 Nur

When I was in elementary school, I was captivated by the scene of a hedgehog walking through a barley field in the moonlight in the story "Mugibatake" (The Barley Field) in my Japanese textbook. The golden, swaying barley taught me the warmth and kindness of life. Now, seeing my own child studying Japanese at the same age, it overlaps with that story, and it feels as if a gentle light is shining on my current life. After working as a nurse, I started a low-carb sweets shop in my hometown of Toyama, making treats that even people with illnesses can eat with a smile. At the same time, I continue to run a science class for children themed around "experimentation, observation, and creation." The time spent facing their curious eyes while making cute soaps or playing with familiar materials is a place of learning for me as well.

The "Oatmeal Rice Ball" I introduced in a newspaper series was my own experiment utilizing the power of barley. It can be made easily without the need for a rice cooker, and I have made various improvements to make children happy.

I am happy to be able to make celebratory cakes every day. The dots have connected to make me who I am today. Like the barley in that textbook, I want to cherish each day as I continue to deliver warmth to someone's heart.

Megumi Unoura

Senior Lecturer, Keio University Faculty of Economics

Anyone who immediately associates the word "Mugi" (Barley) with "Maicheng" (Barley Castle) must be quite an expert on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Maicheng is the place where Guan Yu met his end. In 219 AD, Guan Yu, who was defending Jingzhou, was attacked from behind by Lu Meng of Wu and died in battle here. While the historical record "Records of the Three Kingdoms" briefly notes Guan Yu's death, the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" painstakingly depicts his heroic figure and final moments, touching the hearts of many readers.

Now, about 1,800 years later, Maicheng stands quietly in a rural village in Dangyang City, Hubei Province, China, leaving behind only an earthen mound and a monument inscribed with "Maicheng Ruins." It is not a flashy tourist destination, but some enthusiastic Japanese fans of the Three Kingdoms visit this place as a "pilgrimage to a sacred site." Nearby is the grave of Zhou Cang, Guan Yu's close aide who appears only in the story. This scene, where historical fact and fiction intersect, shows how the story of the Three Kingdoms has captured people's hearts.

The origin of the name Maicheng is not certain, but perhaps barley fields once spread around it. Even if the castle crumbles, human activities are passed down continuously. That landscape also tells a quiet history.

Mitsuhiro Watanabe

Professor, Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance

My research career has moved through various laboratories in Japan and abroad, focusing on metabolic syndrome centered on fat cells, bile acid function analysis in metabolism, and then gut bacteria related to those bile acids. However, my awareness of trying to get closer to the very root of diseases has not changed.

In that process, I became interested in the soluble dietary fiber abundantly contained in barley about 15 years ago and became a supporter of the Barley Foods Promotion Council. Subsequently, barley beta-glucan was approved as a Food with Functional Claims, which was our goal. The decline in soluble dietary fiber intake year by year cannot be overlooked. In addition to insoluble dietary fiber, barley is rich in beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber that can be easily consumed in daily meals. It is known to have effects such as lowering blood cholesterol, suppressing the rise in postprandial blood glucose levels, and improving the intestinal environment. For those who are reluctant to mix it with rice, it can be enjoyed deliciously by making it into risotto or fried rice, or mixing it into salads. Also, there are various noodle products available recently, providing plenty of options. The basic principle of health is to make it delicious and fun.