ZWE HTET AUNG

Nagasaki International University

Hasami Town Summer Vacation Study Tour

Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, is famous for its ceramics, especially its traditional pottery. It's a comfortable place for tourists to experience natural beauty and traditional culture, and it's also a great place to learn about traditional pottery.

I participated on the second day of the trip. I experienced making my own pizza by rolling out the dough. Under the guidance of a teacher, I made pizza and baked it in an oven that was once a hearth. It was a wonderful experience, and the pizza was delicious.

After lunch, we went to a pottery class for an activity called "Ikomi." We painted our own "beckoning cats," a famous Japanese ornament, made from clay. Everyone was very creative and showed off their unique ideas.

We then learned how to make a "beckoning cat." First, we put clay into a mold wrapped around a rubber band. After a while, we pour one-third of the clay into the mold, put the lid on, and let it dry. The figurine is now complete.

Just before we left, our teacher prepared a game for pairs to compete in. The game involves throwing firewood into a hole in the middle of a wooden hearth-shaped board. The team that throws the most firewood into the hole wins, and each player is given three chances to throw.

Our teacher explained that this is how potters used to throw firewood. Although we managed to get two out of the three sticks in, our team lost.

I had such a great time that I would love to try out some of the other activities I wasn't able to participate in.