In this issue of COREDO Magazine, we are featuring Suzuki Sayu, the 18-year-old up-and-coming actor who voices the main character, Totsuko!

Together with Suzuki, who is about to take his first step into adulthood, we toured five spots at COREDO Muromachi where you can experience "adult refinement."

At the end of the article, there is an interview with Suzuki-san! He talks about becoming an adult and the thoughts he put into the movie. Please enjoy reading until the end.

The first place we went to was Fukutoku Shrine in Fukutoku Garden, across from COREDO Muromachi 2. We came to pray for the success of the movie "Kimi no Iro".

Suzuki-san was surprised to see a shrine in a place like this because of its unique location surrounded by modern buildings. However, it is actually a very historic shrine that has been enshrined here since the Jogan era (859-876).

When praying at a shrine, have you ever wondered, "Huh? How many times should I bow?" Proper prayer etiquette is basic knowledge for adults!

The basic etiquette for visiting a shrine is "two bows, two claps, one bow."

After purifying your hands and mouth at the temizuya, proceed to the altar, straighten your posture, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice at chest height, then join your hands together and pray from the bottom of your heart.

Finally, bow deeply once. Depending on the shrine, the etiquette for worship, such as the number of times to clap, may differ, but at Fukutoku Shrine, this general etiquette is fine.

Fukutoku Shrine is also known for its "Tomikuji (lottery) prayers." Fukutoku Shrine was one of the few shrines and temples permitted to issue lottery tickets during the Edo period, and today many people visit the shrine to pray for winning the lottery or concert ticket lottery.

It is said that you can receive good fortune by placing a lottery ticket, smartphone, etc. on the sanpo set up next to the main shrine and purifying it by shaking a kagura bell.

Finally, we wrote our wishes on votive plaques and offered them.

This votive plaque is a "Mebuki Ema" (bud-sprouting votive plaque), which is the origin of Fukutoku Shrine's other name, "Mebuki Inari," referring to the historical event in which young buds sprouted from the torii gate of a sawtooth oak tree with the bark still attached.

It is imbued with wishes for starting something new or for new things to bud, making it the perfect ema for praying for the success of a movie!

After praying at Fukutoku Shrine, Suzuki-san heads to IPPUKU&MATCHA on the first floor of Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower. It is a specialty shop where you can casually try authentic Uji matcha.

The comfortable terrace seating surrounded by greenery is popular, but at the back of the shop there is a secret tea room that can't be seen from the outside! It's a small, reservation-only space with four counter seats where you can concentrate on enjoying the deliciousness of your matcha without worrying about being seen by others or observing etiquette.

Today, in this teahouse, we will be enjoying the "single origin matcha" that is synonymous with IPPUKU & MATCHA. This is a rare tea leaf that is made from a single variety or farm, without being blended, and allows you to taste the individuality of each variety directly.

There were five types of single-origin matcha on the lineup that day. Suzuki-san splurged a little and selected the limited edition "Premium Asahi."

Once you've chosen your matcha, the store staff will expertly prepare it for you on the spot.

All of the matcha sold at IPPUKU & MATCHA is ground in a mill, so the particles are finer than pollen and easier to prepare than regular tea leaves.

In the tea room, matcha is served in original Edo Kiriko glasses rather than in tea bowls.

The crystal glass is very clear and allows you to enjoy the vivid color of Uji matcha. The glass is hand-cut by a craftsman, making it a true work of art. The thinnest possible rim brings out the deliciousness of the matcha.

Suzuki-san chose "Uji Matcha Matcha Pudding" as a snack to go with the matcha.

In fact, Suzuki-san said that she was in the tea ceremony club when she was in elementary school. What do you think of the premium matcha flavor?

"It has a strong flavor that lingers for a long time. The tea leaves are fresh, so it feels really juicy and delicious."

"Uji Matcha Matcha Pudding" is a matcha pudding with a firm texture topped with matcha ice cream and finished with matcha sauce, making it a dessert made entirely of matcha. Its firm sweetness complements the bitterness of the single-origin matcha.

The next place we visited was "NOUSAKU" on the 1st floor of COREDO Muromachi Terrace, located close to IPPUKU & MATCHA.

We carry 100% tin tableware and brass interior items, all made in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, using casting techniques that have been handed down for over 400 years.

One of Nousaku's representative works that combines traditional techniques with modern design is the bendable vessel "KAGO" series. Taking full advantage of the soft properties of tin, a metal, this is an unprecedented product that can be bent from a flat shape into a basket shape.

At first, Suzuki-san was hesitant to touch the soft material, saying it would break, but once he got used to it he was able to skillfully shape it into a basket.

The vessel is completed in no time!

Nousaku at COREDO Muromachi Terrace regularly holds Shops where you can enjoy making things that take advantage of the properties of tin.

This time, Suzuki-san will be trying her hand at making tin leaf accessories, which will take about 30 minutes.

"I like making things, but I'm clumsy (laughs). I tried crocheting recently, but gave up halfway through..." says Suzuki-san, but will she be able to finish it successfully this time?

First, cut a thin sheet of tin with scissors.

Use an awl to carve the veins and make holes.

Tin is soft enough to be bent by hand, so it can be worked without applying a lot of force.

Thread the chain through and bend the tin leaves into your desired shape to complete!

Accessories that you make yourself are especially sentimental, so be sure to use them regularly.

Tin leaf accessory making Shops
[Event period] September 13th (Friday) to October 6th (Sunday)
[Reception hours] 11:00-17:30
[Time required] Approximately 30 to 60 minutes
[Price] 2,200 yen (tax included)
*Seats are limited.
More details about Shops

The fourth spot we visited was LA BONNE TABLE in COREDO Muromachi 2. It is a casual gastronomy restaurant run by Kazunari Nakamura, former sous chef of L'Effervescence in Nishi-Azabu, a famous French restaurant.

What Suzuki-san will be experiencing here is "pairing." In recent years, pairing has become common in restaurants, and refers to serving each dish with the alcohol that the sommelier believes would be the best match. It is not uncommon for sommeliers to suggest pairings of not only wine but also cocktails and sake with French cuisine.

LA BONNE TABLE has been proposing this pairing since it opened 10 years ago. The huge cellar that greets you as soon as you enter the restaurant shows their strong commitment to matching food and alcohol.

However, Suzuki-san is still only 18 years old, so naturally he cannot drink alcohol. But don't worry, LA BONNE TABLE also offers pairings with non-alcoholic drinks.

This time, Chef Nakamura served us a dish and a matching juice.

First, juice was brought in INGNI. It was a non-alcoholic drink made with lemon, plum, lemongrass, and spearmint.

The next dish was an appetizer of small zucchini, made with SLY raw zucchini, fried zucchini, sour cream sauce, citrus fruits, fruits and herbs, arranged like a vegetable and fruit salad.

Suzuki-san's parents are foodies, so she had many opportunities to go to restaurants since she was little, but this was her first time pairing food, so she looked a little nervous. First, we started with the food.

"It contains a variety of ingredients, all of which are very fresh and delicious! The crunchy texture of the fried zucchini adds a nice accent, making it fun to eat."

The drink is taken to the mouth while the aftertaste of the food is still lingering. The idea of pairing is to match the aftertaste of the food with the flavor of the drink.

"I see, this is pairing," said Suzuki, who felt a definite synergistic effect.

Both the food and drink contain plums, so the aromas are in harmony. The refreshing flavors of herbs and other green ingredients match the drinks.

You can enjoy pairing it with wine whenever you feel like drinking water. Drinking water dilutes the flavor, but drinking this drink will enhance the depth of flavor. Once you turn 20, you can look forward to pairing it with wine.

To conclude the day, we visited TOHO CINEMAS Nihonbashi on the 3rd floor of COREDO Muromachi 2, where the film "Your Color" was also being screened.

Suzuki-san often goes to the cinema on his days off, and says that he has been watching more movies this year in particular.

"Movies are both entertaining and educational, so I try to go see movies whenever I have the time. This one has a more subdued feel compared to the cinemas I usually go to, and a slightly more grown-up atmosphere."

Popular among adult customers at COREDO Muromachi are the "Premier Box Seats," which are installed only on some screens and can be used for an additional 1,000 yen on top of the admission fee.

The leather seats, which are also used by airlines overseas, gently wrap around your body, reducing fatigue and stress even during long viewing sessions. They are 1.5 times larger than conventional seats, making them exceptionally comfortable to sit in.

There is space to place your luggage on the left side, an armrest with a drink holder on the right side, and each seat is separated into a semi-private space, allowing you to immerse yourself in the movie in a relaxed atmosphere, just like at home.

If you sit in a premier box seat, you might not have to worry too much about the people around you even if you're eating popcorn!

By the way, Suzuki's favorite food menu item is caramel popcorn.

"The other day, when I went to the cinemas in Fukuoka and Nagasaki to give a speech on stage, I wanted to eat local delicacies for dinner, so I held back, but Akari Takaishi and Daisei Kido, who went with me, were eating a lot with the staff. I was so jealous that I got a share of their food (laughs)."

Finally, we spoke to Suzuki-san after he left the cinema.

- First of all, please tell us your impressions of spending time at COREDO Muromachi today.

I had hardly ever been to Nihonbashi before, but I had a great time. COREDO Muromachi has beautiful buildings and lots of greenery, so I was able to spend a relaxing time there.

- This time we toured COREDO Muromachi with the theme of "adult refinement," but what do you think it means to become an adult in the first place?

When I see people who use words and have sophisticated behavior, I think they are mature. I just turned 18 and am now an adult, but I'm not at all what I imagined adulthood would be like. I still feel like a child in many ways.

- What kind of adult do you want to become?

We only live once, so I want to become an adult who has confidence in my actions and the things I like, and who can honestly do what I want to do, so that I don't have any regrets.

- Today we tried a lot of "firsts," but to move forward, you need the courage to take the first step. I think the movie "Your Color" is a film that gives people who are hesitant a little push forward.

I've always had trouble telling people that I like the things I like, lacked confidence in all my actions, and had low self-esteem. That's why I was really drawn to Totsuko (played by Suzuki herself), who goes straight for what she loves.

-What did you gain from appearing in this film?

I've come to accept myself as I am, including my flaws.

There was one memorable episode, when Totsuko was singing her own song "Suigin Chi Ka Moku Do Ten Amen" while skipping, and I was wondering how to express the brightness and cuteness of that scene. At that time, the director said to me, "You can do it while dancing wildly."

Until then, I was worried about whether everything I did was okay, but when I took the plunge and tried it, the director laughed. The laughter was included and we had to re-record the scene, but I was so happy that I was able to make someone happy by doing something I had done with all my heart. Since then, I have been able to face failure without fear.

- That may also be a moment of growing up. Lastly, please tell us what the highlights of the movie "Your Color" are.

This movie is about three teenagers growing up through their band activities. As you peek into their youth, I think you'll forget your everyday worries and fatigue by the time you finish watching it.

Not only are the images colorful, but the music is also very well thought out, so if you experience the live scenes on the big screen and speakers at the theater, you'll surely get goosebumps. Please go see it at the movie theater, as if you were going to a live show!

Photo by Takahiro Sakai
Hair and makeup: Nagafumi Suganaga (Lila)
Styling: Miyuki Toma (KIND)
Costume: Papi violet (papiviolet00@gmail.com), Wild Lily (03-3461-4887)