DISSANAYAKE MUDIYANSELAGE MALEESHA HASALANKA BANDARA

Training Trip to Hasami

September 16th, Day 1

On the first day, we visited Hasami Town, famous for Hasami ware. We were excited to see Hasami ware, a craft with over 400 years of history.

Our first activity was making soba noodles in Iseki-go. It was my first time, so I struggled a bit at first, but I eventually made them well and enjoyed them with everyone. Eating soba noodles I made myself was a special experience.

After that, we went to Takayama. There, we painted with our teacher, Mr. Cho. It was a little difficult because it had been a while since I'd used a brush, but it was a lot of fun. We painted flowers. Honestly, the teacher's painting was prettier than mine, but it still made me happy.

And that concludes the first day. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about Hasami's food and culture.

Day 2, September 17th

Day 2 was a fresh start. We made pizza in Nakaogo, Hasami Town. Under the guidance of a professional, we all made large pizzas. We baked them and ate them together, and they were delicious.

Next, we went to a pottery class. We split into groups and freely created with clay. I tried making a puppy. It wasn't perfect, but I loved it.

Next, we used molds to make beckoning cats. After that, we colored them. My colors weren't very good, but our Japanese teachers made some amazing colors (they won't say).

After that, we played Japanese woodworking games and had a little competition. Everyone laughed and had a lot of fun.

And so, a second day filled with various experiences, food, and games came to an end. It will be an unforgettable memory.

Day 3, September 18th

It rained on our final day, but it was still a great day.

First, we went to the Hasami Town History and Culture Exchange Center. There, we learned about the history of Hasami ware. This pottery has been produced for over 400 years and was even exported overseas during the Edo period. The exhibits helped me understand why Hasami is such an important place for pottery.

Afterwards, we had lunch, which was absolutely delicious.

In the afternoon, our group first visited a food replica factory. The food replicas looked so real they were almost believable. We also made miniature parfaits. They were cute, but they were made of resin, so they were inedible.

After that, we took a bus to another pottery studio. There, we hand-molded clay tea bowls. While pottery is common in my country, I had never made one before. This experience was very special, and I felt so proud when I finished.

It's a memory that will stay with me forever.

These three days gave me many new experiences, including making soba noodles, painting pottery, making pizza, creating beckoning cats, examining food samples, and learning history. Each activity evoked different emotions and taught me a lot about Japanese life and culture.

And I was very happy. Sometimes I made mistakes, sometimes I laughed, but all of those moments have become fond memories.

I would like to thank my teacher, Mr. Chou. Although he is no longer teaching at our school, he came all the way from Tokyo just for these three days. His kindness and smile made this trip even more special.

Thanks to him and the other teachers, this trip was not only educational, but also fun and heartwarming. I am truly grateful, and I will cherish these memories in my heart.