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As a Japanese enthusiast myself, the moment I discovered about the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi, ” I knew I had to watch it. The fascinating documentary delves in to the world of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a small Japanese restaurant tucked away in the lively streets of Tokyo. The head of this culinary masterpiece is Jiro Ono, an 89 year old (at present 97) sushi master admired all around the world for his unwavering commitment and dedication to the art of Sushi making. The documentary takes us on a charismatic journey through Jiro’s life, his dreams and his relentless pursuit to achieve perfection in crafting each Sushi piece. Although for someone who is already deeply allured to the Japanese Culture like myself, this documentary serves as an icing on cake but that’s not it. The documentary offers a promising and enriching experience, presenting valuable lessons to learn from Jiro’s life.
“I would see ideas in dreams, my mind was bursting with ideas” Jiro
In the contemporary landscape, our focus often tilts disproportionately towards pursuing financial gains rather than deriving authentic satisfaction from what we do. Passion and dedication towards work alone is missing. Work is considered as something that’s stressful and frustrating which can be true in some scenarios but before concluding that let’s take an example of my friend “Derik”. He is working as a video game designer at some company. He loves his work because he loved video games and now he is designing them for a living. Now let’s take an example of another friend “Dave”. In contrast to Derik, Dave opted to pursue career as a software engineer not out of an inherent affinity for coding, but rather, drawn by the opulent lifestyle associated with the profession. Now getting inspired by “money” or a good “lifestyle” is not a bad thing but when you work only for money, than that’s all what you think about. Your life becomes a cycle of just working away hours. On the other hand, if you love your work, your workplace can feel like heaven, and your home just a place to stay. Jiro lives in that same world. He is genuinely so in love with his work that even when he sleeps, he would dream of new ideas to make his work better. That’s probably the best way to explain what it means to truly love your work.
“Once you decide your occupation you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your life. Your must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret success and key to being regarded honorably”
Some people are born with a gift but they still have to put the required effort to be able to get the desired result. Personally, I believe more in the value of hard work than in luck or innate abilities. If you’re willing to dedicate enough time to your tasks, you can not only match the achievements of naturally gifted individuals but even surpass them. In the end its all on how much effort are you willing to put.
The techniques we use are no big secret. It’s just about making an effort and repeating the same thing everyday. There are some who are born with a natural gift. If you want to make a mark in the world, it depends on your talent the rest depends on how hard you work. Yoshikazu Ono (Jiro’s Elder Son)
Jiro goes through the same routine everyday. He mentioned his dislike for the long holidays, finding them too extended. He’s eager to get back to work as soon as possible. A perspective that is unthinkable for most people.
Being self critical is important for your work. Jiro is never satisfied with his work and always striving to become better and better at it. Cultivating self-awareness not only aids personal growth but also facilitates the identification of subtle imperfections in one’s work. This creates room for improvement and helps us become better at our work.
The Spirit of Shokunin
The term “Shokunin” in Japanese translates to “craftsman” or “artisan,” yet it’s significance extends far beyond these surface definitions. The essence of the Shokunin path lies in the daily repetition of a task, driven by an unyielding commitment to their craft. They just want to work. They aren’t trying to be special. They just work relentlessly. They don’t care about monetary gains. They just want to do the same thing over and over again improving a bit by bit. They continue to ascend towards an undefined pinnacle yet their ultimate goal is shrouded in uncertainty. (Shokunin is way beyond what I’ve described and is a topic for a separate debate)
“When you open your own restaurant you need to be tough” Jiro
“People disagree when I say things like this but that’s what I was told when I went to school for first time when I was nine, that’s why you must work hard and I knew that I don’t want to sleep under a temple and I was on my own so I had to work to survive. Now a days parents say you can return if it doesn’t work out, these stupid things make kids failures these days” Jiro
While this perspective might come across as straightforward, it holds a certain truth. In today’s modern society, we’re often drawn towards seeking comfort and convenience. Our tendency to provide our children with all the comforts they need, although well-intentioned, could potentially have negative effects, leading them to rely heavily on their parents. We tend to keep our children within their comfort zones to protect them from the challenges of the outside world, but reality can be unforgiving and indifferent. I’ve personally witnessed cases of individuals who grew up in difficult circumstances yet managed to overcome them through hard work. When comparing this to individuals born into privileged environments, it’s often observed that they can develop a sense of fragility and struggle to attain the same level of achievement.
Jiro Ono’s life shows us that true success comes from a mix of strong passion, not giving up, and always wanting to improve. We learn from his story that becoming excellent at something takes a lot of time and hard work. It’s like a long journey where your strong interest and continuous effort come together to create something BEAUTIFUL.
