Text by Saito Hiroyuki

(1) About 'Iriko'

First and foremost, I'm an early riser. My dog wakes me up precisely at 4 a.m. Reluctantly, I walk the dog, have coffee, and then read the newspaper. After that, I leisurely begin drawing pictures about the size of a playing card. This has become a long-standing habit. These small pictures, which I call my "Normal Temperature Diary," unobtrusively record daily events and feelings. Things that are visible and drawable because they are 'normal temperature.' Another name for it is "Nōten-ki" .

Almost every day, I draw the landscapes and activities of people I encounter. But I am by no means diligent. For someone like me, this early-morning drawing is quite a comfortable routine. Sometimes, I set the brush down after just 10 minutes, or suddenly start drawing something I've ignored for 3 years. Because the drawings are small, it's easy to switch from one to another. I do it all without much enthusiasm, in a dispassionate, 'normal-temperature' manner. My desk and shelves are lined with pictures drawn in this way.

Since this is a 'Nōten-ki,' I don't agonize over it too much, but sometimes I do run out of subject matter. When that happens, there's one thing I always draw: 'Iriko.'

One day, when I got some 'Iriko' sent from my hometown, I felt almost destined to draw it. I was born in the Seto Inland Sea area. The base for my mother's miso soup was 'Iriko' broth. I was even made to eat 'Iriko' as an ingredient in the soup. That was on my mind when I first drew this small creature's remains. Ever since then, whenever I can't find anything else to draw, I draw 'Iriko,' and it's become a very important ritual for me.

Now, my aged mother lives in a facility, and my younger brother sends 'Iriko' to me by courier. My wife has entirely become a fan of 'Iriko' broth. After the broth is made, our family dog drools while looking at the remaining 'Iriko.'

This is an excerpt from my "Normal Temperature Diary," published in the Jōyō Shimbun in 2014.