MAY ZIN PHYO

Okawa Manufacturing Tour First Day Upon arriving at Okawa, they met with local residents, international students and teachers from NJC and APU, introducing themselves to each other and building friendships. On the orientation day, they knew that there would be many Burmese students on this trip, but it was really nice to actually meet them outside.

Participating in the artisanal woodworking industry The local guide gave us a detailed explanation of Okawa, and we also had the opportunity to try out some woodworking. We decided to make kumiko crafts and keychains, because we can do both. As we made them, we enjoyed the detailed techniques of handmade woodworking.

Lunch with fried chicken, a specialty of Okawa We had lunch at a shop selling Okawa's specialty fried chicken and rice, a shop selling woodwork by artisans. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. It was even more delicious when dipped in Okawa's special sauce.

Evening walk around the city We left our bags at the hotel and in the evening we visited the historical district of Okawa with a local guide. We saw a historic shrine, an antique craft shop, many old izakayas, and even visited a vinegar factory.

Day 2 Learn at Nittawara Stoneworks On the morning of the second day, we learned more about Kumiko making at the Nittawara Panram Factory. A Kumiko craftsman explained the detailed steps of Kumiko making, and we also visited the Kumiko Gallery on the second floor. It was great to see the wonderful and intricate Kumiko work.

Learning at Marusho Furniture Factory Kumiko learned about the industry and we worked at Marusho Furniture Factory. We visited the factory. We were given a detailed explanation of the process of making furniture from start to finish, and we also had a look around the furniture gallery. We saw some amazing furniture in the gallery.

Lunch on the second day 🍱 My lunch was fried shrimp rice and sashimi. It was my first time to eat sashimi, so I was a little nervous, but it was delicious.

Sharing the Okawa experience and greeting the locals After lunch, our students and the locals had a friendly discussion and said goodbye.