The journey over yellow envelopes | Jinsuke Mizuno | TEDxHamamatsu

Curry is the communication tool for Jinsuke Mizuno. The start of his action was the news of one chef's death whom he was close to. To do his best to what no one has ever done, no one has ever asked to do, but someone may hope to do. You must be fascinated in his action from his belief and the journey over the yellow envelopes.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

Everyone has something important.

Such as policy, motto,
whatever it's called

The meaning may also be various.

Mine is this.

"The journey over yellow envelopes"

Though nobody has ever done,

and nobody had asked to do,

but somebody must hope to do so,

I will devote all my energy to do so.

This is what I think a great deal of.

So, what do I like most?

Curry rice, of course.

Mix these two.

I mean, carry out what I think

a great deal of with what
I have a passion for.

Then, my tiny journey starts here.

The reason why l absorbed in curry rice

was a curry restaurant called "Bombay".

It was here, my hometown Hamamatsu

and run by Mr. Nagata.

I had been there through elementary school
entry and high school graduation.

I ate, ate, and ate.

I was quite a good customer.
(Laughter)

I became crazy about curry rice by then.

Mr. Nagata really influenced my life.

A curry chef who has so strong influence
that someone's life will be changed.

He is not only one
but there are many chefs like him.

What a wonderful thing this is.

One encounter and parting with a chef,
Mr Ishihara was another impact on me.

He ran a curry restaurant "Ganage"

and I loved it.

Mr. Ishihara's passion
for Indian curry was extreme.

When I visited, he always talked
on curry beside me by the table.

Never ending curry story

but I really enjoyed listening to him.

However, such a good relationship
between us didn't last long.

He passed away by cancer in2007.

I lost my words on hearing
the news of his death.

I had another thing in my mind
at the same time,though.

There must be chefs who devote their lives
to curry like him all over Japan.

I'd like to let more people know
about such chefs.

So, I should visit curry restaurants
in the whole country.

Nobody has ever done.

Nobody asked me to do so.

But there must be people who want to know.
So I made up my mind to try.

I started going to interview at right.

First , in Saitama prefecture,

I visited Mr. Komori
to listen to his story.

"When did you meet curry?"

"Where did you learn to cook curry?"

"How did you decide
to start a curry restaurant?"

"What was pleasure?"
"What was a hard experience?"

"How do you face to curry now?"

"Where will you head with your curry?"

At first, he got confused.

Of course. Suddenly I visited

and asked all sorts of questions.

However, little by little he opened up
to me as I visited several times.

I decided to publish
a book of the episodes

that Mr. Komori told.

A paperback with twenty pages or so,

a tiny book.

First of all, I wanted to deliver

this edition to curry chefs
all over Japan.

Then, how do I deliver them?

Now the yellow envelopes appear.

Sending letters in the envelopes.

Such an analog way is not trendy, is it?

Because now we have several methods
such as email or internet.

However, I thought it was best.

"Happy yellow envelopes."

These are sent to curry restaurant
all over Japan.

My imagination was getting bigger.

It must be wonderful.

Do you think
it is just a self- satisfied feeling?

Why do you think I chose yellow envelopes?

Well, I suppose many of them must think
"it is because yellow is the curry color"?

There is another reason.

It is because this color is cheapest.

(Laughter)

I bought 100 letter sets.

I sent the books to 70 curry restaurant

with a greeting card.

"Hello. I made this book as a hobby.

Please read this.

This is my first envelope to send,

however, this is not last.

I will continue sending you such
envelope with every new book."

A kind of threatening letter.
(Laughter)

The yellow envelopes I freely sent

were, of course, delivered
to curry restaurant all over Japan.

What kinds of responses I received?
To be honest, I expected a lot.

There would be a round
of applause everywhere. "Well done!"

However, it was totaly different
from my expectation.

I visited a curry restaurant
I sent the envelope.

The chef asked me,

"Mr Mizuno, what are you doing

about the yellow envelope you sent?"

"That is my lifework.

I wanted everyone to know about the chef."

"That's all?"

"Yes, that's all"

"Really?"

He seemed full of suspicion.

"What is the merit you gain
by doing such a thing?"

I felt like I was doubted wrongfully.

I visited another curry restaurant
and the chef told me another thing.

"Which publisher had the idea
of the book in the yellow envelope?"

"Ah, it was mine."

"No kidding!

I know the book will be sold soon
at bookstore around."

"No, I will not do so.

"Really?"

I was so shocked.

What I did at most
was a totally fruitless effort.

I did not give up sending
yellow envelopes though.

The second envelope, the third envelope...

this is not a happy envelope

but an unhappy letter.
(Laughter)

It cannot be helped.

Only I could do was continuing.

I rang a chef

to ask for listening to his story.

However, he rejected on the phone.

"No. No, thanks. I cannot afford."

I was never paid from those
who I interviewed for this activity.

No travel expense, no lodging expense.

Even cost of publishing.
I pay by myself for everything.

This cheap yellow envelope,
a stamp to send it,

I did buy them all.

The chefs never understood this.

Of course, I never think
that paying everything is wonderful.

Only I had no other ideas.

If I gain money by sending envelopes,

they may understand.

But I am willing to pay.

Why? What's for?
Is this something suspicious?

Is there something hidden?

No wonder they may think, is it?

Even so, I continued sending
yellow envelopes.

I am rather stubborn.
(Laughter)

Forth, fifth, sixth...

Are your heart pounding?
Mine was always pounding when sending.

Is everything alright?

But I made up my mind to do my best.
I cannot give up easily.

Little by little, though,
their reactions began to change.

What made me happy was

that some people wrote in return
to the yellow envelope.

Such as "I was moved by the chef's life",

or "It was good. I'm looking
forward to the next one."

There is one episode,

"Customers were so few that I was
thinking of closing my restaurant.

But some chefs manage to keep running
even though their situation is harder.

I was encouraged.
I will keep my restaurant for a while."

Unlike I intended, this yellow envelope
saved that restaurant.

A friend of mine went to one restaurant
and heard of such a conversation,

"I'm happy every time when I find
a yellow envelope in my mailbox.

God give me a gift if I keep working hard,

I feel like this."

This is not a fiction. A real story.

G, God? God!?

This is exaggeration, isn't it?
But I'm so happy I want to boast this.

This is why I'm telling you here.
(Laughter)

The more this series is published,

the more yellow envelopes are kept.

16 chefs have told their stories
in this yellow envelope series now.

Their lives are

really

wonderful and precious.

See the photos.

These lined-up faces,
they seem to be only middle-aged guys.

If I met them on the street, I mean,
some grim faced men,

I'd not like them to talk to me.
(Laughter)

But all these guys are brilliant chefs

who devote their lives to curry,
and their stories are very interesting.

For example, Mr. Hayakawa
in Toyama prefecture.

He really loved one old curry restaurant
in Tokyo.

He loved so much he could not help
doing something unbelievable.

He returned to Toyama and started
exactly the same curry restaurant

without telling the founder.

Everything is same;
the appearance, logo, name.

Can you believe it?

I cannot believe.

My father and mother would scold me
if I did such a thing.

However, he told his passion
to the founder then,

was set up in business and keep running
as a franchised restaurant.

Sounds a fiction, but a real story.

Mr. Seguchi in Oita prefecture.

He is -
look, his face is nice, isn't it?

He was drunk after drinking a lot.
(Laughter)

He had learned in two famous Indian
restaurants,

now he is a brilliant curry chef.

But when he started his own restaurant
in Oita, not many customer came.

He could not afford to pay the rent.

In fact, he had lived a hard life
for eight years.

I say once more, eight years.

What did he do then?

He delivered newspaper
early in the morning,

to pay the rent and keep the restaurant.

The story made me feel faint.

An indomitable spirit was hidden

on the back of this peaceful smile.

The more yellow envelopes are delivered

the more chefs I meet
to listen to their stories.

It means,

the more curry chefs read this series.

When it started, the number was 70,
and now more than 150 restaurants.

Although packing work is hard,

this is a cry of joy.

There are something unhappy, if anything.

Sometimes, some the envelopes
returned to me.

This is because no one could receive them,

which means the curry restaurants
had been closed,

and the chefs were nowhere.

It is really sad that I won't be able
to my favorite chefs any more.

Well, now the journey
over the yellow envelope

came to another step.

The chefs visited each other.

Soon after, drinking parties were held.
I was invited too.

The chefs I long for gathers,

I join them, and talked with them
about curry while drinking.

I appreciate I'm alive.
(Laughter)

Do you think it's exaggerate?

The more chefs joined.
5, 10, 15...

Sometimes nearly 20 chefs came.

This is, in the closed curry industry,

a new relationship connected
by the yellow envelopes.

I made one proposal then.

"As many curry chefs gather,

why don't we hold a workshop
along to one theme?"

"It's a naive idea. Shall we?"

All the chefs agreed
and the workshop started.

The theme was, for example,
"How to saute onion".

Two hours, three hours.

The discussion never ended.

The next theme;

"The right order of putting spices"

Two hours, three hours.

How maniac we are.
(Laughter)

Now more than 20 workshops were held
and still continued.

Another new proposal came out.

"This is a chance, where so many chefs
are together,

why don't we have an event once a year
closing each restaurant?"

"Good idea!"

Then, curry events started.

In the event, every chef cooks best
and serve them in one dish.

What was held in workshop,
quite closed space,

is now an big event in which curry fans
from all over Japan can enjoy.

"The yellow envelopes grow up"

The yellow envelope created

communications with
several kinds of people.

This is what I had never imagined
when I sent the first ones.

This tiny journey will keep growing up
in the future.

I don't know anymore.

What will happen.
Where is the goal.

I really look forward to the future.

On the other hand,

I started to find a new envelope.

Nobody has ever done,
Nobody asked me to do so,

but somebody must hope to do so.

There may be more things
in the curry world.

As nobody has done,
you must be worried before starting.

As nobody asked you to do so,
some people may doubt your activity.

Imagine, though, somebody must hope
to do so somewhere...

If you are sure so,

The activity is definitely worth doing.

The next envelope I will find
is not yellow any more.

Maybe it is blue, maybe it is red,

sometimes it is rose-color,

sometimes it is rainbow-color.

Do you think "rainbow color is too much"?

Then, it can be marble pattern
or polka dots.

Nevertheless, if you are interested

in such activities,

why don't you find your envelope?

I will do for curry rice.

How about you?

If you want to do for curry rice,

let's find a new envelope with me.

(Applause)