In 1885, Anglican missionary Alexander Croft Shaw visited Karuizawa for the first time, which was cool even in the summer. Karuizawa started as one of the top summer resorts in Japan, a place that was loved by John Lennon as a result of his nostalgia for the hometown of the Shaw family, a prominent Scottish aristocracy. On March 14, 2019, HRH Prince Michael of Kent became the first member of the British royal family to visit Karuizawa, marking a new chapter in the history of friendship between Karuizawa and the United Kingdom. I went there to meet my friends Yuki and Toshi Hayashi. It seemed like only recently that three Bentaygas were brought together for Bentley enthusiast HRH PMK to enjoy a drive on Mt. Asama and an evening of opera arias with the prince. And this time, on July 26, 2024, three Bentaygas gathered again at ORI (Osato Research Institute) Villa, and the ORI Salon Concert in Karuizawa was held.
The beginning of Salon Concert
As shown in the PersonalizedTreadplate, the 2017 First Bespoke Mulliner Bentayga commissioned for Yuki&Toshi has already clocked approximately 250,000km on the odometer, but it is nontrouble and is still being used as a new car, driving back and forth between his home in Gifu and Karuizawa. Also, the 2024 Last Bespoke Mulliner Bentayga Commissioned for Yuki & Toshi,Speed just arrived in April this year. The other car is Bentley Japan’s support car, the V8 Bentayga.
The Osato Research Institute’s chairman, Yukiyasu Hayashi, has a deep knowledge of all things art.
Now, like the sound of ClassicCar, <a href="http://www.world-today-news.com/martha-argerich-started-the-chopin-competition-for-period-instruments-the-winners-will-be-heard-by-the-people-of-prague/" title="Martha Argerich started the Chopin competition for period instruments, the winners will be heard by the people of Prague”>Naruhiko Kawaguchi, who won second place in the Chopin International Period Instrument Competition held for the first time in Poland in 2018, played Chopin on a 1940 Steinway piano. Also, for this occasion, Asako Tamura, a world-famous soprano singer, came from New York and passionately sang two songs. During the encore, Kawaguchi provided a wonderful singing voice with accompaniment.
The 1940 Steinway piano at Karuizawa Manor House has a sculptural design in its details. Naruhiko Kawaguchi plays Chopin. A salon concert by a famous musician is the ultimate spiritual luxury.
Asako Tamura has performed with Domingo, Pavarotti, and Carreras in the Three Major Tenor Concerts, and her singing voice was truly wonderful.
Asako Tamura, a world-famous soprano singer, is famous for her collaborations with the late Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.
The guests who enjoyed the sounds of the piano and singing voices during an afternoon in Karuizawa were the following people who are leaders in various fields such as art, culture, music, and automobiles.
Masafumi Suzuki (top left): Served as editor-in-chief of numerous car magazines and was the first to establish car and fashion culture in Japan.
Masa Murakami (top right): ENGINE Editor-in-Chief
Shiro Horie (bottom left): Octane Japan Editor-in-Chief
Mia Hirokawa (bottom right): Karuizawa Shimbun Editor-in-Chief
Kaoru Kondo: Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra Concertmaster
After the salon concert, there was an Afternoon Tea Party while enjoying the afterglow of the music. Local restaurant The Barn Chef Okada prepares the meal with ORI Villa’s stained glass in the background. Along with English tea and acclaimed vegan food, there was endless discussion not only about the guests’ fields of expertise, but also about culture, cars, AI, and more.
Afternoon tea at the manor house also includes vegan food.
As the sun set, the three Bentaygas loaded all the guests and headed to Hotel Indigo Karuizawa in a convoy. After being escorted by the manager, everyone took their seats in the restaurant and the final event of the day, ORI Wine tasting and dinner, began.
The ORI Wine Project was started by the Osato Institute for disease prevention and for the purpose of life for seniors. When he first started growing grapes, wine experts at UC Davis pointed out that it would be impossible to grow Pinot Noir or Chardonnay in the hot and humid climate of Japan. 12 years have passed since then. Now, natural fermented red, white, and rosé biowines have been produced without additives.
Hotel Indigo Karuizawa sommelier Osamu Ando prepared dishes to match each wine, and the Extraordinary Karuizawa ended with Bentayga.
Enjoy ORI wine and dinner at Hotel Indigo Karuizawa’s dining room. The food was prepared under the direction of sommelier Osamu Ando.
Mr. Masafumi Suzuki, who has a deep knowledge of fashion, cars, art, and wine, gave the following impressions about ORI BIO Wine. “ORI wines do not sing loudly about Western sensuality and joy. They do not strive for multiplicity and multi-layered harmony like an orchestra or quartet performance, but rather like a solo play that deliberately refrains from doing so. It reminds me of a kind of blank attitude, like a distant memory hidden in the obscene daily life, a quiet and pure state that was actually hidden behind it. The appeal of ORI wine is its simplicity, a type of wine that has never been seen before.
To participate in a salon concert in Karuizawa, I received a very unique invitation from Mr. Hayashi, Chairman of the Osato Research Institute. He asked me if he would like to drive his own Bentayga from Osato Research Institute in Ibi District, Gifu Prefecture to Karuizawa, the venue for this event. Bentayga has covered approximately 250,000km (246,565km to be exact). This was the first Mulliner specification that was specially ordered at a time when Bentayga bespoke was not yet available worldwide. In terms of mileage, it has to be the Bentayga that has driven the longest distance in the world.
The day before the concert, I took the Shinkansen to Gifu Hashima. Guided by a staff member, I went straight to the research institute and left for Karuizawa. From Yamagata IC, take the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway and head for Karuizawa via Chuo Expressway Okaya IC. The total distance traveled was 287km, of which 192km was highway driving. The first thing that surprised me was that I didn’t notice any damage to the ride comfort or driving feel. There is no shift shock and no squeaks from the body. Although I drove more carefully than usual, the total fuel consumption of 9.4 km/L over the entire trip was too much. It is certain that it has been well-maintained, including various oil changes, but it is still in good condition.
Bentley’s current philosophy is “luxury that can be used every day.” It’s a well-made car, so I understand why owners want to keep it safe, but when I drive this Bentayga, I can’t help but feel like it would be a waste not to enjoy its driving performance. Both the 1909 Erard piano at the ORI Heritage Center in Gifu and the 1940 Steinway at the ORI Villa in Karuizawa have the sounds they produce because they have been cherished for a long time. I’ve heard that the chairman always washes his car himself. I could feel the British spirit of confronting nature in this Bentayga.
Text: Osato Research Institute, Octane Japanese Editorial Department Photo: Osato Research Institute
Words：Osato Research Institute, Octane Japan Photography：Osato Research Institute
