Just 7 months after our groundbreaking ceremony, I received the keys to the Mirukashi Salon’s new home and it is exquisite – open, airy, warm, inviting, and very personal. Beauty and soul are my north stars and this building marries both in spades. The building is stately and handsome and the objects in it are full of spirit and story. And that, to me, is EVERYTHING.
Every detail of the salon furnishings is connected to someone I love, and made of materials that tell the story of where I came from and where I am. The 2-meter diameter table that we gather around for meals was made by my mother on her farm in Vermont from local cherry lumber from sustainably managed lands. The large work island where we gather to cook and learn is made of kusunoki camphor wood from a tree that is considered sacred and is the official tree of our prefecture, Saga. A noren curtain that divides front of house and back of house was woven by a friend from kudzu vine fibers, including some I harvested from the land here in Mirukashi. And a sink that Hanako made for me sits on a walnut counter in the bathroom. Each of these elements deserves a story of its own, which I will write for you in good time.
This past week we hosted six lovely guests for our New Rice salon session, the FIRST in our new space! We gathered at the Mirukashi Salon to celebrate the annual harvest of Japan’s most sacred crop. We cooked rice over fire, seared Spanish mackerel over fragrant burning wara rice straw, spent time with Hanako in her pottery atelier, made amulets of straw to appease the gods, fashioned onigiri and picnicked overlooking an island studded bay. It was an enchanting few days of exploring the tantalizing flavors of Japan’s cuisine while immersed in the landscape and vibrant culinary culture that infuses each meal with meaning.
I can’t wait to host my next group in November. And I hope that one day you too will join me here in Mirukashi for a journey of discovery where the beauty, diversity, and cultural richness of Japan comes to life. I’ll introduce you to local seasonal flavors and to the dedicated and passionate artisans crafting Japan’s finest ingredients.
