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Craft Kyushu | A report from an international student living in Kyushu about the real experiences and excitement of traditional crafts
LEE LOKSUM
"Tounou" experience
August 21, 2023 "Tounou" Experience
Soba noodle making experience
On the first day of the event, we tried making soba noodles ourselves. It was my first time doing so, so it was a very interesting experience.
Making soba noodles may seem easy, but it is actually quite difficult. In particular, it is difficult to stretch the dough into a thin, flat rectangle using a rolling pin, and to cut the noodles into the desired shape using a cutting board called a komaita and a sobakiri knife.
But luckily, thanks to the teacher's guidance, I finally succeeded. Soba is very delicious with sauce. If you like spicy food, you can add wasabi to the sauce.
Painting workshop. After lunch (soba noodles we made ourselves), we went to the pottery studio and after a brief explanation of pottery, the painting workshop started. First we draw with pencils, then we paint with brushes. This was the most difficult part. It was hard to control the brush.
August 22, 2023 "Tounou" Experience
Oniki Rice Terraces
Today, we visited the Oniki Rice Terraces. The Oniki Rice Terraces are located in the southeastern part of Hasami Town, in the mountains near the border with Saga Prefecture. Developed between the Sengoku period and the Edo period, the area is made up of about 400 rice paddies spread across an area of about 22 hectares.
The scenery here is amazing and the fields change with the seasons. This is a place where you can really relax and feel nature, which helps relieve stress. We walked on top of the fields and enjoyed iced tea made from Oni Tanada.
August 23, 2023 "Tounou" Experience
Casting Workshop
Today I'm going to a casting workshop. I'm really looking forward to it, as I've never tried casting before. Casting is a manufacturing process in which a material, usually liquid, is poured into a mold and allowed to harden, leaving a cavity of the desired shape. Today I'm going to try casting a teapot.
The workshop lasts about 1-2 hours and you can customize your teapot to your liking, even carving a picture into the mold. It's a lot of fun!
