title: Hokuriku Tales vol.3

Summary

A book of five stories about Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama with useful data vol.3

My own chopsticks [Wakasa lacquered chopsticks experience]Obama City, Fukui Prefecture is the home of Wakasa lacquer ware. Asfar as lacquered chopsticks are concerned, Obama is said to have an 80%share of domestic production. We learned that we can make our ownchopsticks by ourselves, and hurried to Hashi-no-Furusato-Kan or theHometown Hall of Chopsticks.Wakasa lacquer ware features the so-called inlay technique, that is,beautiful pieces of abalone shell or egg shell are set into many layers of Japaneselacquer. A process called“burnishing”brings out a variety of gorgeous designsformed by the shell pieces. We rushed impatiently to the“Trial BurnishingCorner.”There are ten burnishing machines and you can burnish your own pair ofchopsticks for 500 yen. It takes about 15 minutes to finish. As you burnish, youwill be amazed as a design that you never anticipated comes out. We learned forthe first time that the lacquered chopsticks we find in stores are made in this way.Apart from the trial burnishing, you can also enjoy shopping (or just lookingaround), with many other lovely chopsticks on display and for sale.“ExquisiteWakasa chopsticks surely increase your appetite for exquisite dishes,”this iswhat I murmured, as I held in my hand the precious pair of chopsticks I had justmade myself.Hashi-no-Furusato-Kan Wakasa 8-1-3, Fukutani, Obama, Fukui TEL: 0770-52-1733No booking required for trial burnishing (except for groups of 10 or more)A taste of traditional Japanese culture[Trial preparation of traditional sweets]At the Ishikawaken Kankou Bussankan close to Kenrokuen park in KanazawaCity, Ishikawa Prefecture, the“make-your-own-sweets”experience attracts alarge crowd, which enjoys learning how to prepare wagashi (traditional Japanesesweets) from professional confectioners of well-known wagashi confectioneries.This event allows each participant to prepare three pieces of quality soft (nonbaked)wagashi in colors commensurate with the season, made from white beanpaste kneaded with sugar, shaped using a cloth to squeeze the beanpaste, a triangular stick, and a sieve.First take the right amount of beautifully colored sweet bean pasteinto your palm and use both hands to mold it into the right shape. I gota little nervous and embarrassed because I was kind of clumsy. Finally Imanaged to form all three pieces. This lesson renewed my respect andadmiration for the mastery of wagashi confectioners. All in all, it tooksome 40 minutes to finish. My pieces were not as good-looking as I hadhoped, but they were my babies. You can take home the three pieces,plus another piece provided as a gift from the shop. The price for thisexperience is 1,230 yen, which is not bad at all because you also receivea coupon worth 500 yen for the souvenir shopping complex.The confections vary by season and by shop, so the next time you visit, thedesigns you make might be different!Ishikawaken Kankou Bussankan2-20, Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, IshikawaTEL: 076-222-7788Wagashi experience events are held everyday. Advanced bookings are recommended;you can confirm dates and times via theinternet or telephone. For groups of 20 ormore, a special session may be arranged on aweekday with advanced booking.Wakasa lacquered chopsticks withgorgeously burnished designsBefore and after burnishing.Beautiful designs come outthrough burnishing.A professional wagashi confectionerhelps you make your own pieces.Chapter V Have lipstick ? Will travel in Hokuriku Soothe your body and soul Fun that only a girl can haveYou are taught to preparethree pieces of wagashi.Hokuriku Tales vol.3 41