Arty-smarty fruit and veg

Japanese culture seems to attract a certain refinement, not always seen in other countries.

While extreme attention to detail is not unusual in Japanese cuisine, Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto sees produce as his canvas and a knife becomes his paintbrush.

On his extremely popular Instagram account, Kishimoto carves everything from radishes to avocados. Some become elegant flowers such as carrot peonies or chestnut roses, or he may etch geometric patterns on cross-sections of avocados and broccoli stalks.

Radishes like you’ve never seen them before. COURTESY OF TAKEHIRO KISHIMOTO

Kishimoto, from Kobe in southern Japan, started carving a little more than three years ago, and began posting his work on Instagram in mid-2016. At first, he says, he carved simple shapes, but eventually graduated to more difficult designs. He uses a sharp, thin knife, and the time each fruit or vegetable takes varies. For broccoli, it’s about an hour. Softer avocados takes two hours, while apples take three.

Many of Kishimoto’s designs are inspired by traditional Japanese patterns. Typically, such patterns are woven into cloth or embroidered, and can convey meanings and connotations. One, called bishamon tortoise, consists of upside-down Y shapes. Kishimoto carves that into an avocado. Another variation on bishamon, called kumikikkou, he carved into a papaya. Both are based on the patterns of a tortoise shell. They symbolize longevity and were used on warriors’ clothes.

Another, called sayagata, a maze-like design, he etches into broccoli and cauliflower. Sayagata has roots in ancient Buddhist art, originally reaching Japan hundreds of years ago on Chinese fabrics.

Why does Kishimoto use these traditional patterns? He thinks they’re cool. His many Instagram followers think they are HOT!

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