The PDX ♥ JPN series at the Mission Theater is halfway through. A benefit for continued relief (via Mercy Corps) for tsunami victims, the series also emphasizes the art of sake consumption. Sake brewer Gordon Heady initiated the series in part to help remedy “the general misunderstanding of sake in the United States. Japanese food is the fastest growing cuisine in our country, but premium Japanese sake remains a mystery. We made it our goal to raise awareness… and promote chilled, premium sake as one of the most delicious beverages in the world.”

See? As usual, you’re doing it wrong. To rectify that, Heady is teeming with a variety of Japanese food experts from places like Biwa and Yakuza to hold pre-film sake classes each night, through the series’ conclusion on Friday night. My pick would be for tonight’s screening, since they’re showing Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which is not only appropriate to the foodie character of this whole shebang, but is also an interesting, almost painful look at the Jiro Ono, widely considered the best sushi chef in the world. Why “painful”? Because his unrelenting discipline and utter dedication to just one thing—sometimes at the expense of other things in life, like family—is both awesome and kind of heartbreaking. It will also make you desperately crave sushi, so plan on a late dinner.

PDX ♥ JPN starts at 6:45 (the film screens at 7:30), Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, $7 for the film, $5 for the class.

Marjorie Skinner is the Portland Mercury's Managing Editor, author of the weekly Sold Out column chronicling the area's independent fashion and retail industry, and a frequent contributor to the film and...

5 replies on “PDX ♥ JPN: <i>Jiro Dreams of Sushi</i> and Sake Class”

  1. Agree that this will make you desperately crave sushi. For months.

    Disagree that there’s anything all that heartbreaking about it. This is the kind of brain and dedication it takes to master something that requires minute attention every single day. I don’t really pity him or his family any more than I’d pity any other great artist. If his family was so hurt by it, you wouldn’t think they’d all still be involved in the business, or care for him so evidently.

  2. I saw this documentary, and recommend it, though I’m not a true foodie and the only sushi I ate in Japan came off a moving track. As for heartbreaking, possibly in a very mild way, but it’s an interesting glimpse into Japanese culture in all its wonderfully alien (to us) glory.

    (What will be truly heartbreaking to me will be if I’m still working at Jiro’s age.)

  4. Tampopo is the best movie of all time. EVERYONE SHOULD GO SEE IT TOMORROW. Seriously, drop everything.

    If you like Tampopo, be sure to check out Juzo Itami’s The Funeral and A Taxing Woman, two of his best. Movie Madness has them (because they’re the best).

    Frankieb, thanks for the heads up on that; it’s one of my favorite movies and I didn’t know it was playing.

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