Commemorating the release of the movie "Bella Vita" - An essay by Jon from Kaneyo Shokudo

2015.6.9 Text: Akiko Inoue Photo: Masamasa Nishino

Movie "Bella Vita" * Bella Vita = "Life is Beautiful" in Italian

This film was created by filmmaker Jason Buffer, known for directing the modern surfing classic "One California Day," along with professional surfer, artist, and environmentalist Chris Del Moro.

Chris, who grew up in two cities, Florence, Italy and Los Angeles, California, visits Tuscany, Italy, a place where he spent his childhood summer vacations, with some surfer friends. Through surfing and art, Chris and his friends gradually become integrated into the Italian culture. They are treated to warm, Italian hospitality, learn about the country's wine and food culture, and the deep culture of craftsmanship, and are impressed by its richness and depth. As they travel through Italy, the land of his roots, Chris begins to think about the true meaning of "Blla Vita" (a beautiful life)...

THEATER
From Saturday, June 13th, the film will be released at Yokohama Cinemarin Human Trust Cinema Shibuya and other locations.

Watch the movie "Bella Vita"

Traditional and natural life, artistic culture and the humanity that lies within it.
The splendor of his historic home country. The connections with friends and family. In search of beautiful waves, he travels with his friends and discovers the meaning of life anew.
Although I have never been to Italy, it made me realize once again that there are some similarities between our two countries in Japan, which is important.
For someone like Chris, who has traveled and experienced waves all over the world, he must have always felt the individuality of each country and the changes in society. I think there were many opportunities for him to reflect on himself.

It's a little different from Chris, but when I think about my roots, it reminds me of that.
I guess it coincided with when I hit puberty and started surfing.
Being half American, I have a special feeling about America, and I want to go to America, the country where I have blood ties. There was a time when I had such a strong desire. I visited my best friend who went to California and traveled there many times. The waves in California were so attractive that every day was filled with excitement. I was fascinated by the comfortable climate and beautiful sunsets, and I even wanted to live there someday. Eventually, I was able to speak enough English to have a conversation, and as I got to know more about America, my complex about being half-Japanese disappeared somewhere, or rather, I think I gained some confidence. I grew up in Japan, my mother who gave birth to me was Japanese, and my father, a Japanese fisherman, raised me. I have an unmistakable Japanese spirit. In the end, I realized that my roots are in Japan, and I think that led to my confidence.

In my case, it may be something at the DNA level, but I think there was something I realized by traveling to feel my roots. I feel like I reaffirmed my own culture, its splendor, and something that gives me peace of mind by experiencing a foreign country. Then, looking back at my own environment, I realized that there were things that I needed to protect, so with the help of my friends and family, I started Kaneyo Shokudo . I had many thoughts about how to take over the beach house that my mother ran, the fishing industry that my father had pursued, and the family business that I should inherit, but now, thanks to the many friends, family, and everyone who helped me, I have been able to celebrate my 13th year. It is connected, shaped, and always lives on. I can't write everything here, so I hope you will visit and feel it someday.

Kaneyo Shokudo exterior

If I were asked if my life is beautiful, the answer would be Bella Vita. I am truly grateful for the life I have.
I cannot help but call life beautiful, as I am grateful for life, for my family, for the many friends who support me, and for the new encounters I have every day.

Being able to perceive life as beautiful is truly a rich and wonderful thing.
I feel that having a beautiful life is connected to being grateful.
From the small things around you to the bigger things.
Being grateful for things helps us realize who we are and where we are.

What I feel from the film "Bella Vita" about the connections between people, their lives, traditions, culture, and community is that it is filled with many important things that are being lost in modern society. Surfers are not special, but I think that by constantly interacting with nature, they are able to realize many things. Perhaps by feeling the beauty of the waves and nature, they are able to discern the beauty and essence of life. I feel that this film is full of such messages.

One of my favorite phrases is "Life is Art."
Life is very artistic, and I think life itself is like a work of art that each person creates. Bella Vita. Such wonderful words. They are so relatable. I want to continue to feel and realize many things through my beloved surfing, and continue to paint a beautiful life.

What kind of place is Kaneyo Shokudo?

After getting off at the Keikyu Bus stop "Isemachi," head down towards the coast, turn right, and continue straight until you see this sign on your left.

Once you pass through the entrance, where the building is made from reused tin and wood from a once-demolished hunter's hut, and where tropical plants, surfboards and accessories create a sense of unity, you'll find yourself in a woody interior with art pieces peeking out everywhere.

This is the lunchtime menu's "Kaneyo Special Plate" for 1,500 yen (excluding tax). You can enjoy a variety of flavors on one plate and it seems to have a good nutritional balance.

Kaneyo Restaurant
1-6-4 Hashirimizu, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
TEL:046-841-9881
For details on opening hours, please check our website !

(Editor's note)
From the small beach where Kaneyo Shokudo is located, you can see the skyscrapers of Yokohama, Kawasaki, Tokyo, and Chiba on the opposite shore. This is one of the views that Jon, who grew up in this area from a young age, has continued to see. Looking at the view from here, Jon says he compared city life with his own daily life and felt the contradiction between economy and nature. This was what inspired him to upcycle his parents' hunter's hut and beach house into the new Kaneyo Shokudo.

Jon says, "Surfing and life are the same; what's important is the desire to do it and the preparation and effort to be able to catch a good wave when it comes."

Kaneyo Shokudo has now become a popular spot that is constantly visited by customers from inside and outside the prefecture, but it is not just a tourist or business opportunity; it is a sanctuary that can be called the base for Jon's continued exploration of "how people and nature can coexist."

As the essay states, I would encourage anyone who hasn't been there yet to go and see it at least once.