川内倫子さんとの出会い／Meeting Ms. Rinko Kawauchi

photo by Rinko Kawauchi

photo by Rinko Kawauchi

日常の中にある非日常を撮る写真家、川内倫子さんに会いました。大好きな写真作家の一人です。６x６のフレームに映された写真たちは日常にある風景なんだけれどなんだか、幻想的で、詩的であり、胸に迫ります。彼女の写真の持つ空気感が好きなんです。先日、ひょんな事から彼女と会う機会がありました。とてもきさくで、素敵な方でした。写真はテクニックももちろん大事なんですが、一番大切なのはその人の人間性や人生観が豊かであることです。なぜならそれが、そのまま被写体を通して写真に投影されるからです。人をハッとさせる写真にはやはり、特別な何かが宿っているように思います。料理人としてもそれが言えます。まさに料理も作り手のコンディションがそのまま料理に反映します。その時に思うこと、放つエネルギーが料理に入り、食べる人に影響を与えるのです。倫子さんと話していて、彼女の持つ、ミスティックな雰囲気に魅了されました。インスピレーションが沸いてくる出会いでした。

I met Rinko Kawauchi, one of my favorite photographers who shoots surreal scenes out of ordinary lives.   Her photographs, 6x6 frames capture ordinary subjects yet dreamy, poetic and they inspire me. I just love the feelings of her photographs. The other day, I was lucky enough to meet her. She is very nice and I had a great time. The most important thing to be a photographer is to enrich the personality and life visions rather than the techniques. Photographs are the reflections of the photographer his / her-self. Same thing I can say in cooking. The conditions of the cook reflects in the cooking. My thoughts and energy I carry during the cooking goes into the food which affect people who eat. I was charmed by Rinko's mystic energy. Inspirational experience, it really was. 

Seeds of Hope/ Yes on prop 37

Dear friends,

I am promoting labeling on Genetically modified food
(GMO=遺伝子組み換え作物), which we have on prop 37 ( California) this coming election. 

This is very important for us to vote Yes on 37 to label GMOs.

As you may know those chemical companies and bio-tech companies have
been contaminating our food and soil by engineering GMOs and
pesticides. Yesterday, I heard a public lecture by Vandana Shiva, an
activist and women's leader from India. She is promoting peacefully
the diversity of the planet seeds. She said GMO cotton farmers in
India have been suffering for their huge debts from growing GMOs and the suicides among them
skyrocketed:( very sad. Please watch the movie, "World according to Monsanto", if you want to know more.

I have to raise this issue as a health practitioner and I do care for
the future of our planet.
Let's protect our earth for our children and diverse living beings on earth.


Thank you so much,

Japan and US women's soccer final

Back in California, we are having perfect summery weather, sunny with ocean breeze. I saw this lonely soccer goal on Santa Monica beach. It was rather beautiful so I photographed it.
Thinking of London Olympic, women's soccer final game for the gold medal will happen soon. US vs Japan, once again! I am excited!

Macrobiotic Summer Conference in NY '12

This was my first summer conference in the U.S. After the Kushi institute level 4, my class mates and I drove to New York to participate in the conference. There were many cooking classes, lectures on various topics. I found it well organized and nearly 500 people attended from all over the world. This is a photo of Warren giving a cooking class how to make a Nabe dish.

It was sensational to meet Gary Davis who is a well known peace activist. He organises and issues World Citizen passports to people including refugees. It is amazing to hear that he travels with the world citizen passport to all over the world.

Of course, we had amazing food prepared by macrobiotic chefs. Naoko, a friend of mine made delicious desserts everyday as a dessert chef at the conference.

Kushi Institute summer 2012

kushi institute dining room

the scene at meal time

The school is sorrounded by mountains. This is where we take a walk everyday.

Kushi Institute summer 2012

I originally started the macrobiotic study here at Kushi Institute in Becket, MA. It was summer 2008. I took a course called, "Way to Health." It was such a wake up call to realize how important to live naturally and I decided to pursue the macrobiotic path. After the course, I took various macrobiotic classes and courses in LA, Europe and Japan. Finally I got back in Becket to do my first Level 4. Summer in New England is wonderful. Although I was very busy with the course study, I enjoyed the summery mountain weather. My favorite thing is hitting the Becket beach nearby lake and walking in nature.

We were well taken cared by healthy delicious macrobiotic meals everyday which nourished me both body and soul. As we ate same food everyday together, I felt more connection to the people I stayed with. Amazake brown rice pudding was really good:)

I saw this autograph by Michio Kushi, the founder of the Kushi Institute. The purpose of promoting macrobiotics is for "One Peaceful World". Of course the well balanced macrobiotic food heal our body but also take all the aggression away so that we all have peace of mind.
Thank you, Michio sensei.

back in Kushi Institute! Level4

I finally got back in Kushi Institute, Becket Massachusetts. This time, I'm taking level 4, the last level for becoming macrobiotic teachers and counselors. I just finished the course today, my first level 4 session.

It was such an intense learning week but filled with inspiration. I love how we shared our knowledge in the classes. And the teachers are great as well. One thing I noticed about Kushi Institute here is that they are more focusing on visual diagnosis. I think it's because in the US, there are big demand on macrobiotic counselors. In this Level 4, we had some case studies on each participants' clients and we all learned through discussion.
The summer weather in new England is so pleasant. The best thing to do in hot summer day is hitting Bechet beach.