Takuan?

When it comes to the quintessential Japanese pickle, or 'kōnomono', Takuan is the first that comes to mind. However, it was originally the name of a monk. A Zen monk named Takuan Sōhō. This is a record of my delusions about this famous monk while making Takuan-like pickles.

Daikon radish: as much as you like
Gardenia fruit: 1
Salt: 5% of the daikon's weight
Fruit vinegar: 3% of the daikon's weight
Water: 2% of the daikon's weight
Kombu (kelp): 7 cm

Born in 1573 in Tajima Province (Hyogo Prefecture) as the second son of Tsunanori Akiba. The Akiba family were senior retainers to the Yamana clan, the lords of Tajima Province.
The Yamana clan was destroyed after being attacked by Hideyoshi. At age ten, he entered the priesthood and took the name Shun'ō. Perhaps it was to reduce the number of mouths to feed since his father had become a ronin?
In 1594, he went to Kyoto when his master became the head priest of Daitoku-ji Temple.
From this point on, he called himself Sōhō.
In 1599, Ishida Mitsunari built a temple within Sawayama Castle to pray for his mother's soul. When his master, Kunpo, was appointed as the head priest, Sōhō accompanied him.
The following year was the Battle of Sekigahara. As a result, Sawayama Castle fell. He escaped with his master.
After Mitsunari was captured and executed, the master-disciple pair of Kunpo and Sōhō retrieved his remains and held a funeral. I feel like they always sided with the losing side.
After his master's death, he entered Nanshu-ji Temple in Sakai, where he received the dharma name Takuan. Thus, he became Takuan Sōhō.
In 1607, he entered Daitoku-ji Temple, and two years later became its 154th head priest. However, perhaps finding fame and titles troublesome, he resigned after only three days and returned to his hometown of Izushi in Tajima Province.
He built a small hermitage at a temple restored by the lord of Izushi and lived in seclusion there.

And then, another situation occurred where he sided with the losing side.
Regardless of the Buddhist sect, purple robes were the highest rank, and it was the rule that the Imperial Court issued permission to wear them. This was an important source of income for the Court, as they received gifts in return for granting this permission.
However, the Edo Shogunate issued the 'Laws for the Imperial Court and Court Nobles' and banned this. They notified the Court that from then on, they must consult the Shogunate before granting permission to wear the purple robes that signified the highest rank.
The Emperor at the time, Emperor Go-Mizunoo, opposed this. He continued to grant the right to wear purple robes on his own authority as always. The Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, ruled this invalid.
Takuan and other monks from Daitoku-ji and Myōshin-ji temples submitted a written protest to the Shogunate.
In 1629, the Shogunate notified Takuan and the other protesting monks of their exile. Emperor Go-Mizunoo, angered by the Shogunate's actions, abdicated. This series of events is the Purple Robe Incident.
It became a precedent that Shogunate orders took precedence over Imperial decrees. Here too, Takuan was on the losing side. And so, he was exiled to Dewa Province.
The lord of his place of exile, Toki Yoriyuki, was moved by Takuan's integrity and his way of life that did not bow to power; he donated a hermitage to him and even sought his advice on domain administration.

In the world of fiction, Takuan's interaction with Miyamoto Musashi is often mentioned, but in reality, this is a creation of Eiji Yoshikawa.

There are no historical documents showing that Takuan and Musashi had any interaction. However, Eiji Yoshikawa's character design is excellent, making one think that Takuan might have truly been such a person.
The master swordsman who actually had interactions with Takuan was Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori. He was the Shogun's fencing instructor and is often seen as Musashi's rival.
Takuan gifted the phrase 'Ken Zen Ichinyo' (Sword and Zen are one) to Munenori.
It is a phrase indicating that the ultimate goal of both the sword and Zen is the state of 'mushin munen' (no-mind, no-thought).

When the second Shogun, Hidetada, who had become the retired Shogun, passed away, a general amnesty was issued, and Takuan was allowed to return to the capital. This was due to the efforts of Yagyū Munenori.

The original Takuan is made by drying daikon to remove moisture and then pickling it in rice bran, but it takes time and effort. I made a Takuan-like pickle quite easily.
It turned yellow from the gardenia fruit, giving it the color of Takuan.
Since it is not dried daikon, it doesn't have the crunch of the original Takuan, but it has the trifecta of sweetness, saltiness, and acidity.
It can be eaten from about the fourth day once the flavor and color have soaked in, but I pickled it for a week.
Daikon is rich in Vitamin C, and since it is pickled with the skin on, you can also get plenty of Taka-diastase.

After being pardoned, Takuan had an audience with Iemitsu.

Iemitsu seemed to be drawn to Takuan's personality and became deeply devoted to him thereafter.
Takuan became the head priest of Tōkai-ji Temple in Shinagawa and lived there.
As an anecdote from that time, there is a story about Takuan treating Iemitsu to a meal.
Iemitsu came to Tōkai-ji, and being hungry, asked for something to eat.
After being kept waiting for a long time, what was brought out were two slices of daikon pickles.
Since 'hunger is the best sauce,' after eating them, Iemitsu asked,
'What is this pickle called?'
'It is called Takuwae-zuke (stored pickles),'
'Why not call it Takuan-zuke instead?'
And thus, the pickle known as Takuan was born.

I pickled fresh, undried daikon in rice bran, so I lined them up to compare.
The rice bran pickles have a stronger acidity.
The 'Takuan?' is milder and easier to eat.

Although Iemitsu was the powerful figure who once exiled him, Takuan harbored no resentment toward him, treating those who sought refuge or the path of enlightenment without discrimination.
There were other heartwarming conversations between him and Iemitsu as well.
"It is called Tokai-ji (Eastern Sea Temple), yet it is close to the sea."
"It is the same as calling you Shogun (Small Commander) while you are the Taikun (Great Lord)."

His stance of having no attachment to power or authority, and no regard for tradition, was thorough; he even refused to pass on his Zen lineage to his disciples.
In the second year of Shoho (1646), when asked for his death poem, Takuan wrote the character for "dream," threw down his brush, and passed away.
He had said that a grave was unnecessary, but his will was not honored, and gravestones were erected in his hometown of Izushi and at Tokai-ji.
While imagining Takuan, the rebellious Zen monk who lived without fawning over or flattering those in power, I enjoyed the takuan (pickled radish) as a treat.