Origo Journal is a new exquisite zine from Japan (by way of Italy). It was created by Matteo Alberti, chef and owner of ORIGO, a small restaurant located in a traditional merchant house in Kanazawa, Japan. Before pursuing a career as a chef Matteo dreamed of becoming a photographer. Today he shoots pictures to stimulate his senses and cooks to connect with people and places.

On the reason for making the magazine...

The last few years we, as ORIGO Restaurant have been researching and studying local products and traditional ingredients and sadly realised that most of them are constantly threatened by industrialisation and at risk of vanishing and being forgotten for good. ORIGO Journal is an experiential, empirical print publication, exploring the ‘food culture’ through artisans, history and communities.
The publication goes in opposition to the fast-growing digital world and focus on the importance and the beauty of handcrafts, too often forgotten and now at risk of disappearing.
We aim to unfold stories of craftsmen and artisans who dedicate their life and passion to a craft and tell how their stories contributed and influenced the life of other people, including us.

On the theme for issue 1...

The name Makiburi literally means ‘rolled yellowtail’ it is a regional food product and its history goes back to the Edo period (1603-1868). Buri is Japanese for the fish Seriola quinqueradiata, known in English as ‘yellowtail’. For centuries, fishermen filleted buri, salted them, dried them for about ten days, and finally wrapped them in leaves and long rice-straw ropes before hanging them in front of their houses, exposed to the sea breeze.

On the beautiful stamped cover...

The title “Makiburi” is made with a thousand-year-old technique from China, called Hanko, stamp. The design and engraving of the stamp is handmade by a local craftsman and his company is the oldest in Japan. Each print is hand-branded with the use of a red resin coming from a plant called 'Urushi', thus making each copy unique.In the first issue ‘Makiburi’ people with different backgrounds, age, culture and nationality, combined their skills together to create an artisanal product. It is limited in copies (500), and we like to think it is unique in its kind.

Issue 1 is now sold out but watch out for issue 2 in the future!