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earth_colors) wrote2014-10-16 11:59 pm
earth_colors) wrote2014-10-16 11:59 pm
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Ginnikan Ep 9 Final: Drama Notes
Final Ep. 9: "The Credibility of Ikawaya"
Episode Synopsis.
Having established peace with his father's enemy, Matsukichi has finally let go of the past, and firmly accepts his path as a merchant... Ohiro succumbs to her illness, leaving behind a distraught Maho. Before Ohiro takes her final breath, she tells Maho, "That's enough..." Days after the funeral, everyone is worried about Maho. An exasperated Umekichi and Osaki confront Matsukichi to finally address once and for all his stubborn commitment to stick to his promise not to see Maho... Meanwhile, supplies of agar strips are dwindling. Will Hanbee be able to find good tengusa and deliver new agar in time?
Drama Notes:
Differences from the book. In the book, Matsukichi was not able to meet his father's enemy. He visited his home village, and found out that Tatebe Genbu had already died. An old man, a former Samurai, told him of what really happened between his and Tatebe's father. It was the old man who also told him of how they used the Ginnikan given to Tatebe, and in the end, gave Matsukichi some azuki beans produced by the village.
Characters not found in the book but added in the drama: Osato, Osaki, Matsushichi (former head clerk),
Takekichi (former apprentice) and the proprietress of Okado.
(info: ja.wiki)
Japanese memorial service. After the funeral service, "a wooden tablet (called ihai) on which the Buddhist posthumous name is written is given to the bereaved family. On the 49th day after the death, a service is reverently observed at home or at a temple, for it is believed that by the 49th day the karma of the deceased takes a new form. Thereafter, a memorial service is held at home or at the temple on the anniversary of the death every year, or on the third, seventh, 13th, 17th, 23rd or 33rd year, respectively."
(info: buddhanet)
Japanese sweets that were mentioned (with pix above from left to right):
Kohaku manju [紅白饅頭]. The sweets that Tosaburo gave Zenjiro after Osaki gave birth to a son. This is a pair of red and white manju, given or served during a celebratory event. (pic: nezu621)
Mushi-yokan [蒸し羊羹]. Originally, yokan (jellied desert) made of azuki beans came from China, using gelatin (from sheep). But since Buddhism forbids use of animal parts, the Japanese substituted gelatin with wheat flour. It is called "mushi-yokan", an early form of yokan, which is solidified using steam. (pic: suika)
Neri yokan [練り羊羹]. This yokan is made with the use of agar starting around the Edo period, serving as the basis of today's yokan. It is called neri-yokan, which is solidified by way of cooling. (pic: wagashi-murayama.com)
(info: wiki, discover-japanese)
Koshi an [漉し餡]. Smooth bean paste which has been passed through a sieve to remove the bean skins. It is the most common type of "an". For a recipe: here. The powdered, dried form made by Maho in this episode, is called "sarashi an" [晒し餡] or bleached an, which is reconstituted using water.
(info: wiki) (pic: sarajya)
Time Line of Ginnikan (Spoilers ahead):
1783. Fire kills Maho's father and grandfather. Maho (13 yo) has disappeared. Matsukichi (15 yo) is devastated.
Ginnikan Episode Index: (link)
Episode Synopsis.
Having established peace with his father's enemy, Matsukichi has finally let go of the past, and firmly accepts his path as a merchant... Ohiro succumbs to her illness, leaving behind a distraught Maho. Before Ohiro takes her final breath, she tells Maho, "That's enough..." Days after the funeral, everyone is worried about Maho. An exasperated Umekichi and Osaki confront Matsukichi to finally address once and for all his stubborn commitment to stick to his promise not to see Maho... Meanwhile, supplies of agar strips are dwindling. Will Hanbee be able to find good tengusa and deliver new agar in time?
Drama Notes:
Differences from the book. In the book, Matsukichi was not able to meet his father's enemy. He visited his home village, and found out that Tatebe Genbu had already died. An old man, a former Samurai, told him of what really happened between his and Tatebe's father. It was the old man who also told him of how they used the Ginnikan given to Tatebe, and in the end, gave Matsukichi some azuki beans produced by the village.
Characters not found in the book but added in the drama: Osato, Osaki, Matsushichi (former head clerk),
Takekichi (former apprentice) and the proprietress of Okado.
(info: ja.wiki)
Japanese memorial service. After the funeral service, "a wooden tablet (called ihai) on which the Buddhist posthumous name is written is given to the bereaved family. On the 49th day after the death, a service is reverently observed at home or at a temple, for it is believed that by the 49th day the karma of the deceased takes a new form. Thereafter, a memorial service is held at home or at the temple on the anniversary of the death every year, or on the third, seventh, 13th, 17th, 23rd or 33rd year, respectively."
(info: buddhanet)
Japanese sweets that were mentioned (with pix above from left to right):
Kohaku manju [紅白饅頭]. The sweets that Tosaburo gave Zenjiro after Osaki gave birth to a son. This is a pair of red and white manju, given or served during a celebratory event. (pic: nezu621)
Mushi-yokan [蒸し羊羹]. Originally, yokan (jellied desert) made of azuki beans came from China, using gelatin (from sheep). But since Buddhism forbids use of animal parts, the Japanese substituted gelatin with wheat flour. It is called "mushi-yokan", an early form of yokan, which is solidified using steam. (pic: suika)
Neri yokan [練り羊羹]. This yokan is made with the use of agar starting around the Edo period, serving as the basis of today's yokan. It is called neri-yokan, which is solidified by way of cooling. (pic: wagashi-murayama.com)
(info: wiki, discover-japanese)
Koshi an [漉し餡]. Smooth bean paste which has been passed through a sieve to remove the bean skins. It is the most common type of "an". For a recipe: here. The powdered, dried form made by Maho in this episode, is called "sarashi an" [晒し餡] or bleached an, which is reconstituted using water.
(info: wiki) (pic: sarajya)
Time Line of Ginnikan (Spoilers ahead):
1746. Zenjiro's place of apprenticeship somewhere in Osaka burns down. He is 13 yo.
1747-8. Zenjiro works at an agar factory in Fushimi, Kyoto where he meets Wasuke. He starts working with him as an apprentice at 15 yo.
1777. Fire destroys Osaka and the Tenjin Shrine burns down. Ikawaya saves up to donate Ginnikan.
1778. Tsurunosuke (10 yo) and his father leave their home village, Naemura. The father is killed by Tatebe Genbu. Wasuke saves Tsurunosuke by buying Genbu's revenge with ginnikan, supposed to be donated to the Tenjin shrine. Tsurunosuke becomes 'Matsukichi', a merchant's apprentice in Tenma, Osaka.
1778-1781. Matsukichi spends three years at Fushimi, Kyoto apprenticing at Ikawaya's main agar supplier, Minoshimaya, under the guidance of Hanbee, the chief agar maker.
1781. Matsukchi (13 yo) comes back to Ikawaya, and begins his apprenticeship at the shop. He meets Maho (10 yo) and eventually her father Kahei, a chef.
1781-83. Ikawaya suffers from bad rumors regarding their shop and loses customers. But they are saved by Kahei's dish, "Kohaku-Kan", which popularized their agar.
1783. Fire kills Maho's father and grandfather. Maho (13 yo) has disappeared. Matsukichi (15 yo) is devastated.1788. Matsukichi is now 20 yo. Tenjin shrine has finally been rebuilt. But a great fire in Kyoto caused the agar factory to close down, affecting Ikawaya's business. Half of the ginnikan that Zenjiro had finally saved up goes to investing in a new agar factory, and the other half to help augment Ikawaya's profit loss. Then, Matsukichi meets Maho (17 yo) again, who has burn scars on the side of her neck and shoulder. She now calls herself "Otetsu", the daughter of dango-maker, Ohiro. Maho makes Matsukichi promise not to see each other again.
1788-1791. Ikawaya bounces back to recovery after getting agar from Hanbee's new factory. For 3 years, Matsukichi goes back and forth to the factory trying to make a new firmer kind of agar as is his way of honoring Maho's late father but is unsuccessful.
1791. A huge fire breaks out in the south of the city. Maho (20 yo) and Ohiro are safe. Matsukichi (23 yo) goes back to the agar factory for the final time, to make the firmer agar.
1792. Matsukichi (24 yo) finally creates a firmer agar called "itokanten". However, Matsukichi and Maho (21 yo) still continue their promise not to see each other. But a fire in the north of the city that destroyed the Tenjin shrine once again, makes Maho break that promise momentarily by going off to see Matsukichi.
1795. Ikawaya has again finally saved up its 3rd Ginnikan. However, they donate it instead to Hanbee who is forced to look for another production site due to unfortunate circumstances. Later on, Matsukichi (27 yo) meets with Genbu and finds out the truth about his father's killing and what happened to his home village after 17 years.
1796. Maho's adoptive mother Ohiro dies. Finally, Matsukichi (28 yo) and Maho (25 yo) are engaged but promise to marry only after Ikawaya has donated ginnikan to Tenjin shrine. Later, Ikawaya strikes a very profitable deal with a leading confectionery shop after Matsukichi and Maho invent a new agar snack.
1799. Finally Matsukichi (31 yo) and Maho (28 yo) are wed. Matsukichi has been adopted by Wasuke and becomes the second generation owner of Ikawaya. They have finally saved up ginnikan and donate it to the Tenjin shrine on the day of the wedding.
1800. Ikawaya's business is thriving under its new owner, Matsukichi (32 yo). Maho (29 yo) gives birth to a son, and is now the proprietress.
Ginnikan Episode Index: (link)