The Nature and Spirit of Japan - An exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves – Episode 2 Beauty

このエピソードでは 何世代にもわたる熟練の職人たちがそうであったように、一打、一打、一滴のウイスキーは、長年の伝統に培われ、革新と自己表現の精神に突き動かされながら、天然素材と完璧に調和してつくられている。サントリーの創業100周年とジャパニーズ・ウイスキーの歴史を祝いながら、繊細なジャパニーズ・ウイスキーの製造工程に迫り、5代目チーフ・ブレンダー福与真治を筆頭に、サントリーウイスキーの1本1本に完璧さのあくなき追求、細部への細心の注意、熟練の技を捧げたエキスパートたちに話を聞こう。(English) In this episode: Like generations of master artisans who have come before, every stroke, every cut and every drop is made in perfect harmony with the natural materials they work with, mastered by ages of tradition and motivated by the spirit of innovation and self-expression. Join us as we continue to celebrate Suntory's 100th Anniversary and the history of Japanese whisky, delving into the delicate Japanese whisky-making process and speaking to the experts - led by 5th generation chief blender Fukuyo Shinji - who dedicated a relentless pursuit of perfection, meticulous attention to detail, and mastery of craft to every bottle of Suntory Whisky.

The Nature and Spirit of Japan - An Exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves – Episode 2 Beauty

1)

It's almost like a new entity. It's fresh, a new thing, like coming alive in the spirit of tsukuriwake Chance variations imparted by nature are welcomed by the whisky makers.

And they lead these unforeseen qualities to discover unique new aromas and flavours. You introduce the yeast in this step.

2)

We have different energies. They have different uh ways. They convert different cycles, from whisky maker to kabuki actor to ceramic artist Harmony between man and nature is a guiding principle.

Between man and nature is a guiding principle. After the barley mashes ferment, the spirit begins to develop and find the form it will take is cherry type, like these two.

3)

I mean, it's not bamboo, but there's something very different you move the barrels to put them higher, lower to the east side, and go to the west side, so you're the fourth chief blender.

They describe that you have the perfect palette and nose. I wouldn't know what to look for. How do you know? Oh, because it's a bad smell, it's a brand in that, too.

4)

They took inspiration from nature in its cycles. Nature influenced all the artisans profoundly, and its reference was evident in their processes.

Guided by this perspective, the raw material finds its form in each artist's creative process, emphasisingises simplicity. They had to risk failure by trusting the moment.

5)

You inherit knowledge and tradition. Do you feel like I'm serving the rule, but how then?

I'm expressing myself. Foreign guidance materials close to their final results saw this, and all my different experiences blending increased my awareness of the mutual forces of harmony and resonance at play.

It's not just an oral history. It's an olfactory. It's a taste history that's being transmitted. That's the foundation of the water, the place, the spaces, and the ingredients, but it's also how you change.

The Nature and Spirit of Japan - An Exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves – Episode 2 Beauty 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH_iyUZ3SWI

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The Nature and Spirit of Japan: An Exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves – Episode 1, Water 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vlHn8n1svk&list=PL5hoInM2328qeZptUN4LXcdoEpVgQH8N2

In this episode: From providing life to the forest that stores the foundational materials for traditional Japanese art forms like calligraphy, mask carving, and ceramics to giving our whiskies their iconic flavours and aroma profiles, we all share our reliance on this hallowed liquid to guide our craft. It all begins with water.

We invite you to step inside the history and celebrate Suntory's 100th Anniversary as we discover the distinct qualities of our acclaimed Japanese whiskies' most essential ingredient - water. Join us as we dive deep into the natural processes that make the water used in our Japanese whisky unique and speak to the artisans that rely on its pristine nature as a core building block for their craft.

A)

They cut about four kilos each and deliver the ice daily with our phone call, it's an ancient school system, but I still exist; people believe the ice melts from The Edge.

B)

There is no age years ago. I had the opportunity to drink Hibiki 21 at the Imperial Hotel in Japan. I was stunned by the experience; it created a curiosity to learn about the nature of this whisky, its origins and what made it so distinctly Japanese.

C)

Years later, I was invited to Suntory to see their work in person, to visit the sites where different whiskeys are made, and to visit artisans from other Japanese cultural traditions.

Your grandfather founded Yamazaki. Yes. Your uncle founded Hakushu. Yes. And I've been told that the site for Yamazaki is based around the water well. Is that true? Thank you is sometimes the most crucial element in making good whisky.

D)

First, the raw materials show their natural state. The trees fed by the water provide the charcoal, then the ink for the master calligrapher. The foreign artist begins work; a conversation starts with the material guiding the form it will take it. During 20 years, the water pours down like this water, so it seeps in and moves around.

E)

And does it change the minerality of the product, right, so the good medium brands like calcium, not just the minerality but all the other kinds of organic materials from the trees, the decay, all seeping into the water table?

Yes, I came to learn about a Noh-Mask carving master whose cedar comes from the forest fed by the same water that sifts through the soil to provide the clay for master ceramists abroad.

F)

I've come to appreciate the role of nature in living traditions; it constantly inspires innovation and plays a role for the artisans of whisky and all other crafts as they explore in harmony with nature, listening to their raw materials, discovering the beginnings of forms on a journey to realisation, it all begins with water.

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The Nature and Spirit of Japan: An Exploration of Monozukuri w/ Keanu Reeves – Episode 3, Transform 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf78FqTe2dc&list=PL5hoInM2328qeZptUN4LXcdoEpVgQH8N2&index=3

In this episode, We discover the values of Japanese craftsmanship that flow through every ingredient, person, and process at the House of Suntory as we explore Japanese whisky's history.

It is this relentless quest for unattainable perfection that drives every action - from the elegant movements of Kabuki to the delicate symphonies of flavours and aromas orchestrated by our Chief blender, Shinji Fukuyo - embodied in the true spirit of craftsmanship known as 'monozukuri'.

Join us as we continue Suntory's 100th-anniversary celebration—one hundred years of monozukuri at its finest.

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The Nature and Spirit of Japan: An Exploration of Monozukuri w/ Keanu Reeves – Episode 4, Resonance 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ofLXMKhMWY&list=PL5hoInM2328qeZptUN4LXcdoEpVgQH8N2&index=4

In this episode: The final masterpieces of every artisan - as well as the masters that preceded them - represent aeons of refinement in their craft, a manifestation of centuries of artistry that echo within each painting, dance, carving, and of course, each glass of fine Whisky from the House of Suntory.

We invite you to the behind-the-scenes of the final weaving together of every element and technique in Suntory's whisky-making process, creating the refined expression of Japanese Whisky that reveres a century of heritage and continues to shape the whisky culture today.

Thank you for joining Suntory Whiskies' 100th-anniversary celebrations. We hope to see you very soon.