午夜剧场

After graduating from the Faculty of Business and Commerce, I spent four years stationed in Switzerland, Italy, Canada, and New Zealand as a professional ski guide before entering the family business of sushi. Currently, I travel abroad once a month to serve sushi, give lectures on sushi and fish culture in both Japanese and English domestically and internationally, and conduct market tours and hands-on sushi-making experiences for high-end international guests.

Amidst these activities, I also teach a class on "Sushi" in English to exchange students and Japanese students in the 午夜剧场 International Center's Short-Term Japanese Studies Program (KJSP). With the main theme of "Conveying Japanese Culture Through Sushi," it is a new type of class where every participating student must experience making sushi and eat the sushi they have prepared themselves.

Currently, tours where international travelers do not just watch but actually try things for themselves are very popular. These experiential tours are memorable and are considered excellent from an educational standpoint.

Now, what do I convey in the sushi class? In the lecture, I introduce it by saying, "A single small piece of sushi is packed with Japanese culture, and the sushi counter is a concentrated hub of Japanese culture." Through "Sushi," I strive to convey three aspects of culture.

The first is "Fish Culture." Japan is a rare country with a culture of eating fish that dates back thousands of years. Because of this, there are many people involved with fish, such as fishermen, market workers, and sushi chefs. Furthermore, even for the same type of fish, the taste differs depending on the location and season, changes based on the catching method (line fishing, purse seine, longline, fixed net, etc.), and varies depending on the method of preparation. While enjoying these changes in flavor, Japanese people appreciate the tastes of the seasons and famous production areas.

The second is "Communication Culture." This includes communication at sushi restaurants where prices are not explicitly listed, as well as "reading the air," which is common in the markets. I believe these are cultures unique to Japanese people who share the same cultural background.

The third is "Sushi Food Culture." I introduce the history and regional characteristics of sushi, such as funazushi and oshizushi. I also provide explanations about the tools related to sushi.

I believe that Japan's cultural power is at a very high level. Within that Japanese culture, I want people to learn about food culture—and sushi, which is one of Japan's representative foods—to increase the value of Japanese food and Japan itself.