"Please! Connect!"
The person who called with such thoughts was an art aquarium artist and the founder of art aquariums, who travels all over the world.Hidetomo KimuraIt was Mr. [Name]. At the time, I just thought it was a wrong number, but the call wouldn't stop ringing for so long that I was confused, but I answered it anyway.
"Actually, my car has broken down..."
It seemed he was having trouble with his car. Upon further inquiry, he explained that while driving his Ferrari 456M GTA on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, he stopped at the NEOPASA Hamamatsu service area on the northbound side when the car's security system suddenly malfunctioned, trapping him inside. He managed to escape, but the security system had activated, preventing the engine from starting. It was a sudden and unexpected request for help.
Based on the symptoms, we determined that it wasn't an engine problem, but rather a dead battery in the security remote control of a Ferrari 456M GTA. We searched at a Ministop convenience store in a service area, but of course, we couldn't find any AAA-sized "LRV08 12V" batteries. The customer seemed utterly desperate, and sent us a picture of the disassembled remote key on the left via messenger. After exchanging explanations of the situation, we immediately searched for an electronics store that might sell them online and arrived just before closing time. When we told the store staff the model number, they checked their stock and we were able to purchase the battery successfully. When we sent them a picture of the battery, they seemed relieved, saying, "Ahhh... I'm so happy." We clutched the battery and headed straight to "NEOPASA Hamamatsu Upbound"!
Previously, when Mr. Kimura was having trouble with the alternator of his 1997 V8 Quattroporte designed by Marcello Gandini, a friend of his, a flower arrangement artist, helped him out.Yuushin NagaiWe had connected on Facebook through an introduction from Mr. Kimura, and had been exchanging messages regarding parts and such, but this was actually the first time we had met in person. Nevertheless, when I heard that a fellow car enthusiast was in trouble late at night, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I'm sure anyone would have done the same. We ourselves have been helped by friends and acquaintances countless times when we've had car troubles, and as fellow car lovers who know that accidents like this are inevitable, we couldn't just ignore it. Coincidentally, the car trouble was in Hamamatsu, and coincidentally, in our recent exchanges, I had sent a message saying, "Please stop by Hamamatsu when you come to Shizuoka," so thanks to a connection that had been somewhere in the back of Mr. Kimura's memory, it was a miraculous night when, by some strange twist of fate, we were able to meet.
I was searching the parking lot, thinking that a yellow Ferrari would be easy to spot, when I received a message saying that a yellow Prius had coincidentally parked next to it, and that I should use that as a landmark. I found it! The car was really conspicuous (lol). I was greeted with a strong handshake from Mr. Kimura, who was enjoying the summer night breeze and had such a refreshing smile that you wouldn't guess he had been in such a predicament!
I replaced the battery in the remote key with a new one in the service area parking lot, and with a hopeful heart, I unlocked the security system and turned the ignition.
"Voom"
The sensual sound of the Ferrari's 12-cylinder engine echoed through the quiet parking area! Kimura-san's expression showed his relief at confirming that the engine had started successfully! We were also relieved because, having considered the worst-case scenario, we had contacted all our car enthusiast friends to see if they had any solutions after receiving the call.
A calm Kimura-san invited me out for drinks as a thank you, but since I had rushed out in the clothes I was wearing, leaving my dog Chocolat at home, I decided to invite him to my house so he could rest his tired body rather than stop somewhere.
When I returned home, my dog Chocolat was waiting at the front door, giving me a look that seemed to say, "Where have you been out this late?"
It was a last-minute arrangement, so we don't have anything special to offer, but since you're here, we'd like to offer you some Champagne.Jacques Lassaigne × Kisui NakazawaLet's try this. Since you mentioned you didn't have time to eat a meal, I prepared some quick and easy dishes to pair with the champagne.
Hidetomo Kimura Profile
Born in Tokyo in 1972, he is an art aquarium artist who conceived, established, and founded the field of "art aquarium," which fuses "art," "design," and "entertainment" with "aquariums," which he has pursued as his life's work.
He is also actively involved in environmental conservation activities, including bringing ORA, an aquarium material brand from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, a world-class oceanographic research institute in Florida, USA, to Japan, linking aquariums with natural environment protection; the "One Ocean Project," which involves working with ocean athletes to consider the natural environment of the sea; and his active role as a board member of "Sailors for the Sea," founded by David Rockefeller Jr. in the USA.
Alongside his artistic activities, he is also remarkably active as a car enthusiast, receiving invitations to flagship events around the world, where he has naturally cultivated strong connections within the automotive industry. Starting with the "Tokyo Concours d'Elegance" in 2009, he has served as the general producer of events such as "Japan Classic Automobile," and has organized and held the "Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto" at the World Heritage site Nijo Castle, successfully creating a world-class vintage car concours event and developing it into the most prestigious concours in Asia. As a young enthusiast who can lead events on the ground, he is expected to play a role in preserving automotive culture for future generations.
In March 2018, Suigian opened in the basement of the forest surrounding Fukutoku Shrine in Nihonbashi Muromachi. It is a new type of theater-style restaurant and lounge where you can easily experience authentic Japanese culture, mainly traditional performing arts. Advocating a cultural maison, the facility also has a tea room where you can watch performances of traditional Japanese performing arts every day and night. It brings together authentic cultural figures from various genres and schools, and transmits real Japan to the world with the theme of passing it on to the next generation.
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
"SUIGIAN"
Located in Nihonbashi Muromachi, Tokyo, this hidden gem of a restaurant and bar stimulates the playful spirit of adults through the lens of Japanese culture.SUIGIAN"Traditional performing arts from various schools, including Noh, Kyogen, Japanese dance, Kagura, and Gagaku, will be performed, allowing you to enjoy Japanese traditional performing arts up close in a "feast" and have a truly vibrant and valuable experience. With performances held daily, it's a wonderful initiative that you can enjoy no matter when you go. It's definitely something to stop by when you visit Tokyo!
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
Image: Provided by Hidetomo Kimura
"Honey Boy Mix Nuts x Cream Cheese Canapés"
Even if you have nothing else, or if it's a surprise visit, this is all you need! This is domestically produced honey made by beekeeper Mitsuru Kawamura in Makinohara City, my hometown.Honey Boy"A mix of fragrant roasted nuts soaked in honey"Honey Boy MixNutsServe this with germinated wheat crackers and cream cheese, and you've got a quick and easy finger food perfect for entertaining! Sweet honey is just what your brain needs to recover from a minor mishap and mental fatigue♪
"Cold peach pasta"
Peaches are in season right now. I didn't have any cappellini, so I used fusilli to make "Cold Peach Pasta." I grated an onion, added heavy cream, unsweetened yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, organic white balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper, adjusted the taste, mixed it all together to make a sauce, and then mixed in sliced peaches and chilled it. I added the boiled and chilled fusilli and it was ready. This pasta is perfect to enjoy with champagne on a hot summer night!
During our first meeting, Mr. Kimura shared his background, mentioning that "living things" were a familiar presence in his life, and that he had been a great animal lover since childhood. He recounted how, at the age of 19 while studying for university entrance exams, he worked as the business manager of a tropical fish store he had a connection with, before becoming independent and achieving success. He then spoke about his journey from his last summer in his twenties, when he decided to fuse "art," "design," "entertainment," and "aquariums" to create the fantastical "Art Aquarium," the reasons behind his move from Muromachi in Nihonbashi, a district of commerce and culture, to Muromachi in Kyoto, a historic ancient capital, and the people he had been involved with. He also mentioned his reputation as a classic car enthusiast, and his involvement in the internationally registered Concours d'Elegance...Concorso d'Eleganza KyotoThis night, filled with behind-the-scenes stories about his work as the founder of "[company name]" and ongoing projects, was so exciting that it made us forget the short summer nights.
"Finn Juhl, Nils Vodder, No. 53"
Among the Finn Juhl chairs installed in our home gallery, there is one from Hida Takayama, a Scandinavian furniture manufacturer.KitaniKimura-san, who acquired the No. 53 from "[Title of the chair]", seemed to have taken a liking to it, looking like he was in a scene from a drama. The NV-No. 53 is a masterpiece on par with Finn Juhl's NV-No. 45. Decorative grooves are carved into the arms that extend from the rounded seat, and the sculptural work curves slightly upward towards the tip. The combination of warm brick-colored leather and fabric seating creates a beautiful color scheme. Sitting on the seat, which still uses horsehair as per the original specifications, the gentle lines envelop your body completely. And the beautiful form of the tips of the arms is so captivating that it seems to come alive.
I prepared the sofa in the second-floor living room, which overlooks Lake Sanaru, as my bed and took a short rest. The modern furniture brand is made from domestically produced solid walnut wood.MASTERWALThe COMPOSIT SYSTEM SOFA is a popular low sofa that can be freely combined to suit your space. Its cushion structure uses a layered high-density urethane construction without springs, resulting in high durability due to its simple design. It provides firm support despite its flat surface, and can even be used as a sofa bed. The COMPOSIT SYSTEM is excellent for entertaining guests, as it also serves as a bed!
They were able to enjoy the beautiful sunrise and then apparently went back to sleep.
The sun rises early in the summer, and I woke up to the sound of cicadas singing in the dining room as the sun streamed in. I got up a little earlier than usual and was preparing breakfast when Ms. Kimura woke up and said, "Good morning! What a beautiful view!"
Since I wasn't sure if they would eat breakfast, I prepared a light but hearty miso soup. In fact, for the past few months, our family has been having only miso soup for breakfast, without rice. Since then, I've been feeling great, and even though I'm not doing a full 16-hour fast, I feel lighter, probably because my stomach is getting a rest and I'm not putting a strain on it.
I conveyed this to Ms. Kimura, and as we gathered around the table, the sound of her sipping miso soup echoed through the dining room as she said, "Japanese food is the best after all." She also complimented me on my cooking skills, and our conversation flowed easily. It seems that beautiful and delicious things truly have the power to make people happy and always play a role in connecting people.
A drink after the meal isMameya Cafe"Iced coffee" brewed with "Ice Blend".Kimura Glass ShopThey immediately reacted to the KIMURA GLASS engraving on the piccolo glass, and seemed to like the connection through the same name, Kimura (lol).
Since you picked up the book "Beautiful Chairs - Designs by Four Scandinavian Masters" that was on the writing desk in the dining room, I also had you sit in "Hans Jørgensen Wegner / The Chair." This masterpiece made Wegner's name famous, and it's well-known that President John F. Kennedy sat in it during a televised debate. He was impressed by how comfortably it supported his back and how he looked at his most beautiful, and famously called it "The Chair!" meaning "the chair of all chairs, a special chair."
He was heading to Tokyo for a meeting in the early afternoon, so he had a relatively relaxed morning. Here, just like the previous night, we had a pleasant conversation, interspersed with Kimura's characteristic stories based on his experiences. Although he said he had been through many twists and turns, this encounter reaffirmed my belief that this is what it means to be a man who has luck on his side and has seized opportunities in life.
This is a moment where you can admire the gallery, which has a different atmosphere at night and in the morning, and appreciate the works of ceramic artists from Toyama and the aesthetic beauty of "beautiful chairs."
"Finn Juhl / Chieftain Chair"
This chair, unveiled in 1949, is a lounge chair designed by Finn Juhl for relaxing in front of the fireplace in his own home. Its large, elegant, and imposing form is befitting of the name "Chieftain" (chief of an uncivilized tribe), and it is the chair that King Frederik of Denmark sat in at an exhibition. Mr. Kimura, who sits down without hesitation, seems to possess a presence that is just as impressive as the chair itself.
Finn Juhl himself is pictured sitting in the Chieftain Chair with his legs stretched out on the armrests, and the chair's design allows you to sit in a way that completely envelops your body, making it highly functional and stable. It really suits him.
Time to depart. The Ferrari yellow looks great in our home. Ferrari's corporate color, yellow, comes from the official color of Modena, where the company is located, and is called "Giallo Modena." As we love yellow, this color might be worth considering when choosing our next car. The 456M is a later model, and the base design is by Pininfarina, but the modified design was actually done by a Japanese designer who was working at Pininfarina at the time.Kiyoyuki OkuyamaIt's interesting because it's Mr./Ms.
The next morning, the remote key worked perfectly, and I was able to see them off without any problems. It was a short time, but it was a very meaningful day.
Thanks to this encounter, I was invited to a private unveiling of a next-generation car project that Mr. Kimura himself is planning, at his Kyoto villa, and we promised to meet again soon.
