There is no meaning in Rosanjin's tableware if it is not used. How 'Miyazaka' views the relationship with tableware
"UTSUWA KIRYO" started as a journey exploring food and tableware.
In the second installment of this tableware journey, we met with chefs who use the tableware, discussing their thoughts on tableware and how they select it.
Nobuhisa Miyasaka, born in 1974 in Tokyo, has an extensive background in Japanese cuisine, having trained for 11 years at a Tokyo restaurant and 10 years at a renowned Kyoto restaurant. In November 2021, he relocated his esteemed restaurant, 'Cuisine Miyasaka,' to a tranquil area near Omotesando Station and reopened under the simplified name 'Miyasaka.' Known for his dedication to showcasing seasonal ingredients and traditional Japanese cooking techniques, Miyasaka enhances his dishes with both antique and contemporary ceramics. He was interviewed by Naoyuki Honda, a writer and friend, about his experiences and philosophy regarding tableware
Miyasaka Nobuhisa's Instagram
@miyasaka_minamiaoyama
During his training in Kyoto, he learned that 'Japanese cuisine and tableware are inseparable.'
Honda: Nobu (Miyasaka), when did you start to take an interest in tableware?"
Miyasaka: I was originally interested, but it wasn’t until I started working in a Kyoto restaurant during my training that I developed a genuine interest. Kyoto has many places that use fine tableware, and I was surprised by the variety. I learned that Japanese cuisine and tableware are inseparable.
Honda: At first, you probably didn't know much about it, right?
Miyasaka: I didn’t know, so I studied intensively.
Honda: What kind of studying did you do?
Miyasaka: I started by writing down and memorizing all the different types of tableware used in the restaurant in a notebook. Besides that, I visited tool shops and learned from the shopkeepers, gradually getting to know the types of ceramics.
Honda: That’s essential.
Miyasaka: The restaurant where I trained sometimes had potters visit, and I expanded my knowledge through those interactions. On my days off, I visited art museums throughout Kyoto to see real pieces and study them.
Honda: Items displayed in art museums aren’t typically found in restaurants, right?
Miyasaka: They’re quite different, but I made a list of all the tableware used in the restaurant and checked it. As I prepared to build my collection, I wrote everything down in a notebook to remember it.
Honda: The number must be overwhelming. That experience must have been significant. Did you start buying tableware around that time?
Miyasaka: I couldn’t afford expensive pieces, but I bought what I could from familiar tool shops.
Honda: Paying for things yourself seems like it would enhance your learning experience.
Miyasaka: It certainly makes you more interested.
Honda: How do you choose tableware now that you have your own restaurant?
Miyasaka: I sometimes inform tool shops in advance about what I’m looking for and get notified when they have it in stock. Other times, I find what I need by chance when I visit shops. Since I often buy antiques, if I find something I like, I have to buy it on the spot; otherwise, I might never come across it again.
Honda: Do you also buy contemporary tableware in addition to antiques?
Miyasaka: For Karatsu ware, I use many pieces made by Okamoto Sakurei, who has been a great mentor to me. For other contemporary tableware, I choose based on feeling and integrate them into my courses alongside antiques.
When I come across tableware that fits exactly what I’m looking for or when I have a clear idea of the kind of piece I need, I sometimes commission it to be made
Honda: As you become more knowledgeable, it seems like you can even have pieces custom-made. Where do you store your tableware?
Miyasaka: I have a private room for storage where I keep some pieces, and I also store them on shelves inside the counter. For example, I have specific pieces like Rosanjin’s chrysanthemum dish that I only use in September.
Honda: Since some tableware can be quite expensive, it could become quite a challenge if you get too invested.
Miyasaka: That's true (laughs). However, eating from good tableware greatly enhances the dining experience. I believe that in Japanese cuisine, not only the ingredients but also the presentation and the setting are crucial.
Japanese chefs acquire refined manners and practices while studying tea.
Honda: Does the impression of a dish change with different tableware?
Miyasaka: It does. Even customers who might not seem very interested in tableware are often surprised when served food on high-quality pieces.
In the past, there was a closer relationship between chefs and potters, where chefs would order specific pieces, and potters would refine their craft in response. It might be beneficial to revive such exchanges. Additionally, those who practice tea ceremony often commission potters to create tea utensils.
Honda: Japanese cuisine has a lot to learn, doesn't it?
Miyasaka: Many chefs in Kyoto also study tea. Through learning about tea, I gained knowledge about flowers and presentation as well.
Honda: I recently learned sushi, and the techniques vary widely between individuals.
Miyasaka: When you see someone with elegant techniques, it’s quite captivating.
Honda: I see. Do you think the value of a dish changes with the tableware?
Miyasaka: Of course, it makes a difference, but it’s ideal when the dish and the tableware complement each other. Actually, when I get older, I’d like to run a restaurant where I can serve à la carte dishes using fine tableware. I think it would be interesting to have such a place one day. It would allow me to create dishes I don’t normally make.
Honda: That sounds intriguing.
Honda: Do your preferences in tableware gradually change?
Miyasaka: My tastes do change, but whether it’s something I bought during my training or recently, I still have a deep attachment to each piece. It’s more like my perspective broadens over time.
Honda: Do you set a budget when you go to buy tableware?
Miyasaka: Yes, of course. It would be a problem if I didn’t set a limit (laughs).
Honda: Do you ever end up buying something even if it’s over budget?
Miyasaka: Occasionally (laughs), but I try to be careful.
Honda: It’s quite a world, isn’t it? The value of the tableware you’ve accumulated must be incredible.
Miyasaka: Tableware is inseparable from the way I express my cuisine.
Honda: When you use such carefully selected tableware, can you trust your staff to handle the washing?
Miyasaka: I trust my staff and leave it to them.
Honda: Do you do kintsugi as well?
Miyasaka: Of course, since these are important pieces with sentimental value, I use kintsugi to repair them.
Honda: I’d love to see some of your recent favorite pieces.
Miyasaka: Recently, I’ve acquired some 350-year-old Tianqi porcelain (Chinese underglaze blue porcelain made in the 17th century) and Nanjing red-ware. I also really like Rosanjin’s kabuto bowls.
Honda: That's amazing...! It seems like handling each ceramic requires a lot of care.
Miyasaka: Yes, I'm always careful when handling the tools we use in the restaurant, not just the tableware. For example, my seniors taught me how to properly hold ceramic pieces, like how to lower a vase. Another lesson they often told me was, "The lighter the piece is, the more careful you have to be when handling it."
Honda: Thanks a lot for today. You’ve taught me so much and helped me realize how important tableware is to Japanese cuisine.
Photography: Yohei Murakami
Interview: Naoyuki Honda & Utsuwa Omusubi
Written by: Kana Kubo