What the heck is with these lousy sales results, Gokase?
Are you actually doing your job?
Yes, sir!
-Quit it with the "Yes, sir"! -Yes, sir!
Gokase is getting scolded again.
The former cleanup hitter for Seiho High is a complete failure.
I saw Gokase on TV when he was in the Koshien baseball tournament.
He got the miracle comeback hit in the semifinals.
He was quite a stud at the time.
I never expected him to be such a terrible salesman.
At that moment, my heart was growing quite restless.
That's because my sales visits today would be in Asakusa.
When you go to Asakusa, you should try hotcakes.
Such a lovely sight!
It's been so long!
They aren't those trendy pancakes. They're the old-fashioned hotcakes.
Somehow, I'll manipulate my sales schedule
and visit that shop in Asakusa...
Kantaro.
What is it?
The boss has been calling you.
Can you come here, Kantaro?
Yes, sir.
-What can I do for you? -I hate to ask you this,
but can you take this guy on your sales visits today?
What?
As you know, Gokase here was the cleanup hitter for Seiho High.
He has guts more than any other men! No doubt about it!
But, for some reason, his sales record is pitiful!
I want you to find out what's wrong with his methods!
How could a newcomer like myself possibly judge Gokase?
Quit being so modest, Kantaro.
You're way better than everyone at everything,
especially at how fast you do your visits!
I am merely approaching sales in the most straightforward way I can.
Do you have some secret method?
-No. -Then you can do this!
You've learned to be a great salesman, so I want you
to pound those lessons into this guy! I'm counting on you!
I won't stand for this guy ruining my sweets time.
Yes, sir!
Kantaro, I look forward to working with you!
I'm sorry, Kantaro.
I look forward to working with you!
The sweets that can be found around here are Asakusa Umegen's kintsuba,
Fruit Parlor Goto's fruit sandwich,
and Rusurusu's cream puff.
What a perfectly scandalous town of sweets Asakusa is!
But, thanks to this guy...
Kantaro! Wait for me, sir!
Sir, I'm surprised at how fast you walk!
Gokase, please quit calling me "Sir."
Okay!
Kantaro, are you angry?
No.
What should I do today?
First, show me how you do your sales, Gokase.
Yes!
Nice to meet you!
HOTCAKES
My... I mean, I am Gokase
from the Kiccho Publishing Company Sales and Marketing Department!
I'm sorry to bother you!
This is a new magazine that our company is publishing.
Will this really sell?
Since many of the customers at your store are students...
it's perfect!
The way you put it isn't convincing at all.
I agree with you.
But, I hope you order it!
Hold on. I thought I had seen you before.
You were in the Koshien tournament, weren't you?
Oh, you found me out?
I'm Gokase from Seiho High!
This is great! I was a fan of Seiho!
Then, why don't you order this magazine, chief?
Chief?
Well, if you put it that way...
Look!
Your sales style was better than I thought it would be.
Really? You're sure?
If you have the ability to get the client in the palm of your hand like that,
I think you'll do just fine.
Thank you!
So...
I'm changing our plans. We will make our visits separately.
What?
I'll visit the bookstores on the west side.
You take care of those on the east side, Gokase.
Understood?
-Yes. Got it! -Goodbye then.
I figured it would be something like this.
Kantaro.
Will you please be honest with me?
Why did you come here instead of doing your sales visits?
Personally, I wanted to become a pro baseball player.
What?
But I was never contacted by anyone.
I thought of joining the Independent League.
But I just can't give up on being a pro.
My parents convinced me
to take this job, which was fine.
But sometimes I suddenly ask myself,
what the heck am I doing?
I just can't stand it.
Then I find myself...
playing hooky from work and practicing my swing all day.
Even though I can't focus because I feel so guilty,
I just can't stop.
So, why do you keep practicing your swing?
Because in this year's draft
I just might be selected!
I see. I understand your situation.
Where are you going, Kantaro?
Gokase, go to the next two shops by yourself.
When you're through, call me. Understand?
Yes.
Leonardo da Vinci once said,
"He who does not struggle shall not be granted good fortune."
Also,
may I tell you one thing?
Yes.
Gokase,
please go to hell.
What?
Now that I have sent the young man to hell,
I shall now depart on a trip to have hotcakes
in heaven!
Asakusa is the most famous tourist spot in Japan.
I travel past Kaminarimon.
I travel past Nakamise,
the oldest shopping street in Japan, in existence since the Edo Era.
I travel past Sensoji Temple, then...
TENGOKU - ASAKUSA, TOKYO
Finally, I arrive at Coffee Tengoku.
It's now time
to partake in eating the finest hotcakes.
Welcome. Have a seat anywhere you like.
Coffee Tengoku is decorated both inside and out
to look just like a nostalgic Showa Era coffee shop.
However, it was surprisingly opened in 2005.
There is a reason why the young owner opened this shop
in the 21st century.
Welcome.
Are you ready to order?
The hotcake set with hot coffee please.
Certainly, sir.
Basically, the owner runs the store all by herself.
It was her deep desire to open a coffee shop that serves hotcakes.
However, they are quite different from today's showy pancakes.
They are hotcakes just like mother made
back in the good old days of the Showa Era.
She wanted to run a shop
where the hotcakes brought back happy memories of the customers.
That's why she decided to open her shop here in Asakusa.
However, Tengoku's hotcakes have transcended from being simple snacks.
Incredible amounts of time and effort have been put into them.
One thing the owner insists on is that nothing is pre-made.
The powder is not mixed into a batter until an order is placed.
After 12 years of trial and error, she finally arrived at
the ideal ratio of ingredients and mixing method.
They're finally ready to be cooked.
The "pan" in "pancake" comes from "frying pan."
Tengoku's hotcakes, however, are cooked on a copper griddle.
Only a copper griddle can cook them to a golden brown.
This griddle can only cook enough for six servings.
As the owner gazes at the griddle, her face has such a gentle expression.
She's the goddess of heaven!
The hotcakes are thoroughly cooked for two minutes at 160 degrees.
She has just flipped them.
Their magnificent color is making my mouth water!
The smell of flour and eggs is filling the shop!
There's not a human alive
that isn't filled with bliss when smelling this aroma.
After cooking for two more minutes on the other side,
the hotcakes with 12cm diameter have swollen to 1,3cm in thickness.
They are just about done.
In order to preserve the fluffy and crisp texture,
they are served on a warm plate.
One hot! Two hot! They are piled two high, then served.
What's that? Tengoku's owner
has taken up a frightening weapon
that resembles a claw from hell.
What is it she's heating?
Is that a branding iron? Hold on here!
After she has cooked them to a wonderful golden brown,
how could she burn them with a sizzling hot branding iron?
That's so hot!
Here is your hotcake set.
TENGOKU
Enjoy your meal.
"Tengoku."
It's so cute.
Why is this so nostalgic?
And even though it's my first time here, how come she's so kind to me?
At last,
into the sweet heaven!
I've made up my mind.
I shall enjoy these Tengoku hotcakes in five different ways.
For the first way, I'll have it as is, without any topping.
Even though it's only flour and eggs, how come it's so sweet?
It's the true essence of "simple is best."
All right, it's time for the second way to enjoy these.
I shall apply only butter. How's this?
Dear, me!
Just when I had proclaimed "simple is best,"
the best has been replaced!
The faint saltiness of the butter brings out the hotcake's sweetness.
It's the greatest!
However, I doubt this is as great as it gets.
For the third way,
I shall cover it in plenty of maple syrup.
See? Didn't I tell you? Isn't this the best as well?
It's sweet, but not too strong.
The gentle sweetness of the maple syrup
is so incredibly kind to me.
Now that I've come this far, I want to go there. I must go there!
I shall strive for even higher greatness!
For the fourth way,
hotcake with butter and maple syrup!
TENGOKU
Leonardo da Vinci once said,
"He who does not struggle shall not be granted good fortune."
What about myself?
Of course, I have struggled.
I visited many bookstores and strove desperately to sell books.
I am faithful and straightforward in my work.
Because I am so earnest, I sometimes go through hell.
However, exactly because I've had such experiences,
I am now able to have a taste of heaven.
Da Vinci!
Go to heaven!
I have found heaven right here.
HEAVEN
And finally, the fifth way to enjoy a Tengoku hotcake.
Of course, it's this part.
At last.
Why is it that when humans eat sweets, they become more optimistic?
Thank you for the food.
EXCELLENT FORTUNE
After spending a brief period in Tengoku,
it was quite apparent that I had become a kinder person.
I lost myself earlier,
and ended up telling him, "Go to hell."
I wonder if Gokase is all right.
-Yes! -What's that?
Yes!
A NUMBER OF COPIES SOLD OF VIN VIM KICCHO PUBLISHING
You obtained this many orders by yourself in such a short time?
Yes.
See? You can succeed if you try.
What you told me...
opened my eyes.
I'm giving up on baseball.
What?
I realized something.
No matter how long I wait to be drafted,
it's never going to happen.
So...
Don't decide to give up until you're able to do your job properly.
What?
If you can do your job properly, then you can properly play hooky.
As long as you do your job properly, you can play hooky however you like.
However, if you do not work,
you will not be commended.
Kantaro,
did you just try to encourage me?
Don't get me wrong.
If your bad sales cause me trouble...
I won't stand for it.
Wait!
So, do you ever play hooky, Kantaro?
I leave that to your imagination.
Did you hear, Yamaji?
Gokase is doing fantastic lately.
His sales are just as good as Kantaro's. It's pretty amazing!
I wonder what Kantaro told him.
What the heck is with that outfit?
Sorry, sir, but this is my way of doing sales!
My style!
What? What's with that baseball equipment?
-When I've worked very, -Yes?
very, very hard, I will use this to play hooky!
Why you...
Wait!
My meaning of hooky is a little different.
What?
I do everything properly!
-Right, okay. -I will do my job right,
and play baseball too!
All you need to do is sales, moron!
Yes, sir!
Damn you, Seiho High! Get out there and sell books!
"Go to Heaven with Coffee Tengoku's Hotcakes in Asakusa."
The day this article was posted
was the same day that Kantaro went to Asakusa with Gokase.
Kantaro Ametani,
I'm still suspicious of you.
Now then, what kind of sweets should I have next while I'm working?
Only...
Sweet heaven knows!
BASED ON THE COMIC BOOK KANTARO: THE SWEET TOOTH SALARYMAN
THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION BASED ON ACTUAL PLACES AND SWEETS.
Subtitle translation by Brian Athey