It also shows how important the social aspect of shopping was. You purchased something from a person, not at a shop as we believe today.
This was not limited to Japan. I remember that when I grew up in the Netherlands in the 1960s the couple that ran the neighborhood grocery store knew the names of my parents and all their four kids, and we knew theirs. They knew who we were, how we lived, and what we liked and disliked. And visa versa.
We would not just enter to buy groceries, we would chat and exchange information. It was fun, you always learned something new, and you felt part of a community.
When you were unable to get along with someone It could at times be challenging. But this social structure also meant that when that happened you always had a support system to fall back on.
I abhor self service registers and can’t believe companies are trying out stores without any staff at all. It feels deeply dehumanizing to me. As if they are intended to destroy society itself.
In the end this hyperfocus on efficiency and squeezing out the last drop of profit will be the undoing of our societies. Societies survive on their social foundation and framework. That is what generates meaning and resilience.
Separate people from each other by putting them in huge houses, moving them in cars, and letting them exchange goods and information without human contact and their society will inevitably collapse.
Thankfully, the urban planning model of the 15-minute city gives me hope that the old and tested structures of interactive communities can survive and once again thrive.
I loved this article! You’ve made sense of something I never quite understood, which is that my 95 year old Japanese mother is incredibly skilled at lighting her charcoal barbecue grill. She’s very methodical about it. Now I can guess why!
Thank you for this interesting history lesson on a relatively mundane, but once critical tool for keeping warm during the colder months. I wonder if the shichirin (七輪) still used for portable grilling is the closest modern equivalent to the hibachi. What do you think?
Many Japanese sources actually name the shichirin as the model for the 'hibachi' used in Canada and the U.S. It is seen as a naming error. Interestingly, articles about the North American hibachi often use the romanized spelling of 'hibachi' instead of the kanji. You can see this in action on the Japanese Wikipedia page for hibachi: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/火鉢 (scroll to the bottom).
The shichirin and hibachi are different in several ways. The shichirin is usually made of earth, and was used specifically for cooking and grilling. The hibachi on the other hand was made of all kind of materials except earth and was used for heating, boiling water, and cooking or grilling some very basic things.
Many Japanese articles about using hibachi today, also mention the shichirin. So in a way, one could say that it keeps the spirit of the hibachi alive in modern times.
It was a very good question, Mark. Thanks for asking.
If I would make a family tree, the irori would be the parent of the kamado (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamado) and the hibachi. The shichirin would be the child of the kamado.
I actually thought about including the kamado and the shichirin in this series of articles. But decided they need their own series, focused on cooking. This one is more focused on heating.
At some point I will add the kotatsu to this series as well. I just had too much information, and not enough time, to fit everything in from the start.
Loved the photos of the shops with hibachi. I see it’s a form of hospitality even there.
Indeed!
It also shows how important the social aspect of shopping was. You purchased something from a person, not at a shop as we believe today.
This was not limited to Japan. I remember that when I grew up in the Netherlands in the 1960s the couple that ran the neighborhood grocery store knew the names of my parents and all their four kids, and we knew theirs. They knew who we were, how we lived, and what we liked and disliked. And visa versa.
We would not just enter to buy groceries, we would chat and exchange information. It was fun, you always learned something new, and you felt part of a community.
When you were unable to get along with someone It could at times be challenging. But this social structure also meant that when that happened you always had a support system to fall back on.
I abhor self service registers and can’t believe companies are trying out stores without any staff at all. It feels deeply dehumanizing to me. As if they are intended to destroy society itself.
In the end this hyperfocus on efficiency and squeezing out the last drop of profit will be the undoing of our societies. Societies survive on their social foundation and framework. That is what generates meaning and resilience.
Separate people from each other by putting them in huge houses, moving them in cars, and letting them exchange goods and information without human contact and their society will inevitably collapse.
Thankfully, the urban planning model of the 15-minute city gives me hope that the old and tested structures of interactive communities can survive and once again thrive.
I loved this article! You’ve made sense of something I never quite understood, which is that my 95 year old Japanese mother is incredibly skilled at lighting her charcoal barbecue grill. She’s very methodical about it. Now I can guess why!
Thank you for your kind words, Maya. I love it when one of my articles answers an unasked question ❤️
Thank you for this interesting history lesson on a relatively mundane, but once critical tool for keeping warm during the colder months. I wonder if the shichirin (七輪) still used for portable grilling is the closest modern equivalent to the hibachi. What do you think?
Very good question, Mark.
Many Japanese sources actually name the shichirin as the model for the 'hibachi' used in Canada and the U.S. It is seen as a naming error. Interestingly, articles about the North American hibachi often use the romanized spelling of 'hibachi' instead of the kanji. You can see this in action on the Japanese Wikipedia page for hibachi: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/火鉢 (scroll to the bottom).
The shichirin and hibachi are different in several ways. The shichirin is usually made of earth, and was used specifically for cooking and grilling. The hibachi on the other hand was made of all kind of materials except earth and was used for heating, boiling water, and cooking or grilling some very basic things.
Many Japanese articles about using hibachi today, also mention the shichirin. So in a way, one could say that it keeps the spirit of the hibachi alive in modern times.
Here is a photo of what would likely qualify as a shichirin used during the 1910s: https://www.meijishowa.com/photography/6015/160904-0037-grilling-rice-crackers
Thank you for your detailed reply. I had no idea I was asking such a loaded question! Anyway, the difference is now clear.
It was a very good question, Mark. Thanks for asking.
If I would make a family tree, the irori would be the parent of the kamado (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamado) and the hibachi. The shichirin would be the child of the kamado.
I actually thought about including the kamado and the shichirin in this series of articles. But decided they need their own series, focused on cooking. This one is more focused on heating.
At some point I will add the kotatsu to this series as well. I just had too much information, and not enough time, to fit everything in from the start.