“SHOYU” Episode 1
Shao mai or steamed Chinese raviolis produced by “KIYOKEN” is
the representative of Yokohama’s Chinese town.
They appear very familiar to us, packed in red boxes which can be bought at kiosks in stations including Yokohama, Tokyo and Shinjuku. When you open “KIYOKEN’s” shao mai lunch box, you will find on its side a gourd-shaped soy sauce container named as “hyouchan”. This white porcelain container is illustrated by diverse facial expressions which were originally drawn by a very popular cartoonist then, named Ryuichi Yokoyama in 1955. In 1988, a famous illustrator named Osamu Harada created new versions of illustrations for the containers. And later on, many other facial versions of “hyouchan” appeared on special occasions such Christmas or in celebration of the 100th anniversary of “KIYOKEN”. In the photo, you will see series of original versions of “hyouchan” which came back on scene since Heisei 15 (2003). We can find many collectors and they have even become items on trade in auctions online. When you have the chance to visit Tokyo, you should definitely try “KIYOKEN’s” shao mai lunch box!
・“KIYOKEN’s” webpage
