Why do you suppose it is that Jiro is never pleased even though he has been recognized as the very best Sushi master in the world(as evidenced by Michelin 3-Star rating)?
"No one knows how high, high enough is".................or he utters something to that effect.
Enryo...that odd mix of Japanese humility and pride.
To admit you're the best means that you can be proven wrong. By denying that you're the best, you can always temper the defeat by stating "I know I can do better".
Yoshikazu exemplifies this by stating that he'll never best his father. Anyone who says that his sushi isn't as good as Jiro's, he can state that he's still striving to match his father's skill.
I got the vibe that the documentary was hinting that Jiro's upbringing contributed to his endless pursuit of perfection and ability to work unimaginably long hard hours for so long and thereby become a genius chef. Not to dime store psychoanalyze but he seemed mildly resentful talking about how his father was an alcoholic and how he walked out on the family and how he was forced out at 9 to work. Perhaps hes had a life long need to prove himself to his father/parents. That scene where they go in the temple to visit the shrine to his parents, he's pretty disrespectful of them. It comes off as another example of his straight forward pragmatic nature ("just water the dead plants. I dont know why we come here. my parents didnt take care of me") but I think theres something more going on under there.
Course not every person who was rejected by their father or forced to work at 9 is the worlds best sushi chef so there are certainly other factors that make him what he is today, talent and the gift of heightened taste being significant ones. But its pretty clear he thinks having it rough early in life made him a better person. Was also interested when he admitted to being a bully when he was young and then at some point turning that angry energy into the pursuit of perfection in his craft. It makes sense now why he doesnt like taking days off and the concept of retirement is unpleasant to him.
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Using words to describe art is like using a screw driver to cut roast beef.