Gifu, Japan. It's amazing that the day
before, I had never heard of this city. Now I didn't want to leave!
It's a gorgeous city, nestled in the mountains of central Japan. Our
tour guide explained how it isn't quite ready for tourists, but
perhaps this is part of its appeal – a more natural, modest town
surrounded by temples, suburbs, and rice paddies, showing how the people of
Japan really live. During our exploration of this town and its
businesses, we were also followed by a camera crew! A cameraman,
interviewer, and translator accompanied us on our journey for the
Japanese TV show, “Why Are You in Japan?”
At the beginning of the day, everyone
from U-M Flint was split into two groups. This was to make our
business visits easier, but it essentially turned into this: the
group that wanted to be on camera went with Dr. Laurence, and the
rest went with Dr. Peng. Ryan and I were asked by the
camera crew to be with Dr. Laurence so we could be filmed, so we
obliged. We had the tricky goal of being funny on camera while
representing our school to the best of our ability - I'd like to think
we did a good job.
Our first stop was a Buddhist altar
maker, which has been in business for over 150 years. I was expecting
a small business that makes Buddha statues, so I was surprised to see
large, elaborate altars used for honoring the dead. Some of them are
elegant and beautiful, covered in gold and made to be displayed.
Others are specifically more subtle, with wooden doors, allowing the
altar to blend in with modern furniture. We learned a little about
Buddhism; for instance, there are different branches, and zen
Buddhists prefer the less flashy altars as a reflection of their faith.
Surrounded by beautiful and
expensive altars, we all sat on pillows to design our very own golden
plate, using the same method that is used to lace the altars in gold. We
first covered the front in a sticky residue which we called
“washi-washi”. Then, using tongs, we carefully placed thin gold
strips along the front of the plate. My plate looked messy at first, but after some finishing touches, it turned out good - even with the camera watching me
create!
Next, we went to a sweet shop in Gifu,
which was also over 150 years old! The man who demonstrated the
process of making traditional candy, or “wagashi”, was the 6th
generation of his family to own this business. His passion for his
work was very admirable. He told us the history of wagashi and his
business – these kinds of candy are healthy, made from rice and
vegetables, and are eaten in tea ceremonies. They represent food as
an art form, for each one is created using multiple flavors and
colors to alert all five senses.
We had three tasks – using the balls
of wagashi in front of us, we were to create 3 different sweets with
varying difficulties. The first was easy, in which one piece of
wagashi is simply folded on top of another. Next, we had to create a
cherry blossom – a Japanese flower-shaped treat. With the many
colors and steps involved, this was a bit harder. Finally, using
various tools, including chop sticks, we created a confetti-like
candy. The camera crew complemented us on our chop stick ability –
I told them we've had a lot of practice! After all of this “work”,
we were served fresh tea and could eat our creations. I ate the
confetti wagashi – it was great, unlike any sweet I have had
before.
A seafood restaurant.. not the one we ate at
In the evening, we met back up with
the other group and ate dinner at a seafood restaurant in Gifu. The
owners of the sweet shop, the Gifu tour guides, and of course the
television crew joined us for a great celebration dinner, the last we
would have as a whole group. Here, with the added pressure of being
on camera, I tried a good amount of new foods, such as raw octopus. I
ate it with wasabi, a hot condiment, and it wasn't too bad! The
camera crew asked us to reflect on the businesses we visited – and
I still think it's incredible that 150 years later, family members of
the original founders are continuing the family tradition. They
displayed a pride and a passion for their work that makes them
successful. They honor their history daily and teach others about
their work. These small businesses certainly have a lot to be proud
of, and have encouraged me to learn more about my own family's
history.
No comments:
Post a Comment