Munen Muso no Sushi
I eat Sushi in Marina at a restaurant called “Ichi Riki’s”. It’s famous on the Monterey coast, mostly so because there aren’t many good sushi bars. I avoided it when I first relocated to the Monterey coast because it was popular among the Salinas rodeo culture for all the wrong reasons, and by people who frankly I consider quite ignorant of anything Japanese.
Nonetheless as time passed I ended up there due to necessity and the fact that it’s on the way back home after my dealings in Monterey.
Initially I found both the Sushi chefs to be quite “zero charisma”, in fact I found all the wait staff this way, lacking any noticeable personalities, as though you had to be in some old-guys club to actually get personable service. There’s also loud Japanese women with unidentifiable jobs who don’t seen to be capable of speech without yelling, which at first I found annoying, then later found somewhat comical and entertaining.
I slowly began to form a strange inter-cultural connection with one Taisho however, while the other one remains personality-less to this day.
The first thing I noticed was that the bills for my lunch seemed to always be $16.xx no matter what I ordered. Also, my Taisho buddy started treating me to samples of sushi of his own creation, the first being a dish of seared Ahi tuna, and later all sorts of things from Nigiri sushi to cucumbers soaked in special sauce - all sorts of things. I ate what he served appreciatively and without undo fuss. Apparently this is a Japanese custom, but one which Japanese chefs in America seldom honor due to a lack of trust in their customers that they will actually appreciate or even eat what they create and serve.
I finally remembered to examine my bill on one occasion after eating enough sushi to run into the high 20’s, which the charisma-absent chef would have billed me for - the bill was $16.88 for “1 Nami”. What’s a Nami? A “wave”? I still don't know to this day.
As the weeks have passed we have continued our sushi relationship, all the time growing more mystical. Finally, last week, I apparently was promoted to “Sushi Judan”.
I walked into the resturauant and sat down with my book, “Pruning the Bodhi Tree…” which I’m reading for the third time. Immediately Taisho came with a glass of water and Miso soup, no questions asked, not a word exchanged. This particular day was hotter than normal for the coast and thus the executive decision. I waited quietly to try and read the “energy”, and see what would happen next.
Five minutes later, after laboring over his work station, lunch appeared. No order had been taken, not a word exchanged. One order Unagi, one order Uni, one Ikura (large fish eggs), one Maguro Tuna ( I don’t usually order either Ikura OR Maguro), one Hamachi and one Sake.
Without question I ate, and thoroughly enjoyed it all. I love sushi, ALL sushi, with very few exceptions.
But more importantly was the “unspoken” communication and trust that had appeared. Serving a Gaijin in this way must have been risky venture. I carefully maintained a casual demeanor and continued dining.
In critical Buddhism it is stated that speech is inseparable from the true teachings of the Buddha. Zen-like concepts of “transmission outside the sutras” or that which can only be experienced and not expressed in words, falls under the rubric of non-Buddhist, Hongaku Jiso (original enlightenment) or Tathagata Garhba teachings which are of a “Dhatu Vada” flavor, and clearly not truly Buddhism. Shakyamuni was, in his truest purpose, a criticalist offering a critical and challenging voice to the establishment of the Brahman priests and “Topical” religion of his time.
Once Shakyamuni experienced enlightenment he very well could have kept the secret to him self, but elected to share what he had learned to others, using speech. This is a crucial point when considering what is Buddhism and which is not. Buddhism and the development of language are inseparable from this point of view..
However, this is not so with sushi. Sushi is a Dhatu vada, an independently existing state of being, free from causality.
Once my “lunch transmitted beyond the Sutras” was finished, more followed all without request or question. First was an sushi roll of uncertain variety (maybe a California roll varient?). And, to my concern (because frankly I was getting full) came a single piece of surf clam nigiri and single piece of Sake nigiri.
Truthfully, all things considered, this was my ultimate sushi experience. Whatever secret society exists at Ichi Riki’s, either metaphorically or in actuality, I had been made a member.
Then, pièce de résistance - the check.
$12.49.
I left a $10.00 tip, said “Oishi! Arigato Gozaimashta”, and left completely satisfied both spiritually and physically. Have I attained sushi enlightenment? I do not truly know. One thing is for sure, I will continue my sushi practice, no matter what.
Rev. Greg
Posted by revgreg at May 18, 2007 06:44 PMSince I can't seem to post comments on past threads, I'll post here.
BTW, after reading around a bit, hi Greg, Mimi, and to Ryuei. I am liking your blog Greg. Much less testy here than on the Zadankai list.
Having read around a bit here, one thing, about the statue in front the Gohonzon. I agree about some not being comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable with it no so much because of habit in my upbringing but because I don't see the point of having a mandala for observing one's mind obscured by a statue, the unity of person and law notwithstanding.
Personally, I don't think any Buddha would wish to be worshipped anyway as if "worshipping" is the way to enlightenment. In "On Attaining Buddhahood" it says, "you must awaken to the mystic truth which has always been within your life." Even believing and chanting Myoho-renge-kyo will not enable awakening if one thinks the law is outside oneself. The very act of worshipping an object as the mystic law is to place the mystic law outside one's own life.
This is not to say that veneration and respect are not to be shown. Only that true awakening is found within once the skin of the ego-self dissolves and the true marks of reality can seen as they are.
Heh, enough flapping of gums.
NeoLotus
Posted by: NeoLotus at July 4, 2007 06:29 AMYoroshiku hajime mashite Greg san.
Next time you go to that restaurant, instead of saying arigato, say, "gochisosama deshita." That is what I was taught to say in Japan when you have finished eating.
And if it was really good and you want to say it was very delicious, "sugoku oishkata." If it was exquisite, say "utskushikata."
I haven't been to this blog before but it seems I recognized some names from an old listserv I was once on. Hello all.
Byrd, the mayo in everything is coming from Japan. I learned from my mom about putting mayo on broccoli. It was not done when I was a kid nor when I lived in Japan in 1977. But then, someone decided it was a good idea and now it's used too much.
However, as I have been living in the middle of nowhere Minnesota since '93 and have only been to 2 sushi bars since then (once in Chicago for the Am. Planning Assoc. annual conf. in 2003, and a few months ago in St. Paul), I won't claim any authority. I only know my mom picks things up when she goes to Japan every year.
BTW, the restaurant in St. Paul used to have Japanese chefs. Now they are are SE Asian, Korean, and nth generation Japanese. All were young and none were any good. I miss the "irasshai ma se" when entereing. They don't say it anymore. Not a good change. The guys in Chicago were also SE Asian but trained very well by a good Japanese sushi chef and it was delicious. And they said "irasshai ma se."
Some things should change. But others should not. Wisdom is knowing which.
Posted by: NeoLotus at July 4, 2007 04:22 AMYes they put mayo on sushi here in japan.
(they use it as a kind of glue to hold stuff together)
You might also like this: "Ichi riki" is probably a play on the word "hichi riki" which is a japanese double-reed oboe kind of flute, used in the temples for religious music....
I'll have mine with miracle whip.
Posted by: robek at May 28, 2007 11:51 AMAh, the great sushi enigma! I am so happy you have been let in on the secret of all o-sushiya sans - they appreciate customers who appreciate the food.
I saw this happen to two Japanese visiting students at Sushi Boy on Broadway in Vancouver. When they walked in, no big deal, the chef didn't look at them. But when they made their order, the chef came back with all kinds of sea treasure that doesn't appear on the menu. The girls nearly cried out of relief, to eat food they know is good, to enjoy flavours they hadn't seen since leaving Japan.
And you know, I got the same treatment, too, when I talked to sushi bar girls in downtown Vancouver. I made my order in Japanese, and they were beaming - Ah! Someone who has appreciated o-shushi the way it served in the homeland! And they rolled me a special which didn't appear on my bill.
Imagine you're the only one from your planet who can perceive that flavour and suddenly you have a fellow in your midst who knows it, too. True afficionados appreciating other afficionados appreciating...
There's a cookbook out now called Mayoneizu Daisuki - We Love Mayonnaise. It's one of Japan's weirder fetishes.
Posted by: erizabesu at May 25, 2007 09:13 AMGreg, your tale is fishy.. (sorry couldn't resist)
In Japan, I was able to sample blowfish, and my gums went numb, and panicked I was going to die, and everyone was laughing.. hahha. joke on me..
Anyway,, I think I spotted something, and I hope you don't mind I point it out. Yes, we think Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, however in Mahayana Buddhism, the Buddhism that Nichiren preaches, the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha announced that he did not attain Buddha under the Bodhi tree, but in fact he always was the Buddha. This is just so important of a point, and not only you, but everyone just keeps overlooking this, and as long as you do, you can't get past being one of the followers of the Historical Buddha, who thought he became a Buddha under the Bodhi Tree. It is only the Bodhisattva's from the Earth, that understood that Sakyamuni was the Eternal Buddha in the Treasure Tower.
Greg, you are not following the Lotus Sutra of Nichiren if you believe Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree. This is from a friend to a friend, not talking points, and you know I am not a guidance machine...
Later..
Maltz
To Greg: Sushi is the most polar of foods to my palate, in that good sushi is exquisite and bad sushi inedible. Here in redneck nirvana the former variety is hard to find.
To Byrd and Ryuei: Mayonnaise is the real reason the French are so widely despised.
Cheers
Posted by: Harry at May 22, 2007 07:35 PMGreg,
Maybe you just became a regular cuustomer and are making more out of the situation that it is.
Enjoy being treated like a regular customer.
I do not think the Japanese are the only culture that acts that way. My experience has been most businesses act the same way as your experience. Good luck with enjoying your sushi.
Posted by: Patrick at May 21, 2007 11:58 PMYour discussions of Japanese culture makes me think of American culture. It seems like Ethnic cultures consist of customs, ways of doing things. These can get tedious. Violating them can offend.
There are maybe so many American Ethnic groups that we have no set customs. We have seemingly learned not to get offended; to simply tolerate or even embrace multiple customs. Tolerance might be our main custom?
Anyway, imagine a Japanese cook trying to learn the proper way to make American Chili? Or even green beans.
Posted by: robek at May 21, 2007 08:28 AMGreat comments and questions Byrd and Ryuei. These guys at Ichi Riki's have been around for years. They're well-established in the area. I don't think they're concerned about impressing anyone. As far as Ninja favors - hummm... could be. I'll let you know when he calls in his debt.
Byrd - there three basic types of sushi - Nigiri (fish on rice), Maki (sushi rolls) and Sashima (raw fish without rice). In California there are all sorts of sushi restaurants with their own recipes. The only line I personally draw is with Koreans making sushi, something I haven't written about because of the potential racial undertones. There is a high-end restaurant in Salinas called Ichibana's. We ate there once and I was absolutely appalled when I bit into a piece of Nigiri sushi.
From what I could tell the Korean chefs has pre-made the rice balls much earlier in the day. My daughters and I had a great time bouncing the rice from my sushi on the table. I left no tip and will never go back. There were other things wrong as well. Japanese food is a well-established tradition. When I order Donburi I expect a specific dish, not some wild-weird varient with strange vegetables and stuff, and a strange sauce completely unrecognizable to me.
My favorite life-time meal is found at Pink Godzilla's in Capitolla. I order Hawaiian Poki (raw salmon mixed with macadamia nuts, seaweed and other ingredients), ankimo and "Hawiian roll" which is a sushi roll of their own invention. Accept for the ankimo nothing is traditional or "classic".
Rev. Greg
Posted by: Rev. Greg at May 19, 2007 04:58 PMAaggh! The mayo thing. They try to put mayo on Philadelphia Cheese Steaks too. Whoever heard of such a ridiculous thing as mayo on a cheese steak?!?!
Anyone, I think I have been to that sushi restaurant that you are talking about Byrd. Is it in what passes for "Japantown" in LA? It was good - but definately not classical Japanese sushi.
Greg, I asked Yumi about the "Nami" thing. Apparently there are three grades of sushi plates. The first is nami, which is the lowest and uses the cheapest ingredients. So on a nami plate you would find maguro or tuna. Next is the chujo which means "middle-high" and instead of maguro, for instance, you would find tora which is the white fatty tuna that Japanese prize. Next up is jo which is "highest" and that would have high grade tora. At a very swanky restaurant you might even find tokujo which means something like "highest of all." So apparently you are being given fine meals at the lowest rate. Yumi tells me that this is not at all common, even in Japan. It might happen with someone who really wants to impress a round-eye, or between a businessman and a favored client, or perhaps a yakuza boss they want to get on the good side of. Perhaps this Taisho knows you are a ninja and is hoping that someday he can call in a favor?
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Wow, Greg. What a fabulous tale. I feel honored just reading it.
My best friend down here loves sushi, but I wonder if it truly is sushi? Having never been to Japan, I have no standards by which to judge. At her favorite place ("Sushi Dan"), all the guys behind the counter are Mexican and the fish is pre-cut. They have raw fish salads with a sort of soy dressing which she really loves, and I enjoy something called the "911" - mashed-up spicey tuna in a roll with avocado on top. It also comes with a "super-spicey" sauce which is arranged decoratively on the plate, as you would see in a French or nouveau cuisine restaurant - a brown sauce and white sauce swirled together in a pattern. The sauce is mayonnaise-based.
We have both become increasingly upset by the tendency on the part of "sushi" restaurants to use mayonnaise in their cooking.This is just one example. Surely that is not done in Japan?
I hope you will not think me hideously gauche for even raising such obscene culinary practices in a comment on your sublime experience, Greg. But I wonder if you could offer some insight or wisdom into the changes and developments in sushi as it traveled from Japan to the US in general? This would be interesting to me, as I know what my friend and I are eenjoying is not, technically, sushi at all, but some perversion. Should it be given some other name, perhaps?
How are diners to know? How can we protect ourselves against the mayonnaise onslaught?
I am genuinely interested. Thank you for this post, Byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at May 18, 2007 11:03 PM