Japanese Cultural Night
As I have written many time, I used to live in Japan. When I returned back home, some of the first people I met were Masami and Hiro. Originally from Japan, they have lived in Canada for many years.
We developed a wonderful friendship, and we try to get together at least once a year to cook Japanese food together.
Masami and I have also run Japanese cultural afternoons for friends, teaching language, origami, calligraphy, and trying various snacks.
Masami and Hiro, through their music academy in Windsor, NS – Dorian Hall Academy of Performing Arts – run cultural camps for older youth in the summer.
Usually, when Masami and Hiro come over, it is an adults-only event, and I put the kids to bed or send them to bed. However, this year, I asked Masami and Hiro if they would mind if the kids stayed around.
And, on top of that, would it be ok if I invited my girlfriend with her 3 children who are total sushi fiends!
Masami and Hiro are always up for anything, and welcomed the idea!
Hiro, used to leading kids at the cultural camps, had a suitcase of activities ready for the children.
They started by writing their names in Japanese using calligraphy brushes.
They did really well!
Then a few Japanese words.
Next, they tried origami, using the biggest pieces of paper I had ever seen.
I was most impressed with my son Thomas, 7, who was the youngest in the bunch and immediately could figure out how to fold the paper without getting frustrated!
Together, the kids made this samurai helmet
a pinwheel
and a balloon.
When they blew into the paper to expand it, one of the adults yelled,
“that didn’t just happen, did it?” It was amazing!
After the supper, the kids played with some of the Japanese toys I had brought back (which I keep under lock and key in the basement – so as not to get destroyed – and only come out on special occasions).
They also had a chance to try on some traditional Japanese clothes from both Masami and Hiro’s and my collections. They looked great!
While the kids were participating in activities, Masami was teaching the rest of us how to make Japanese food. The highlight was making our own sushi.
Our process was very similar to how I blogged about it before.
How to make your own sushi
We sat around the table using my Japanese dishes.
We drank green tea, stuffed ourselves with sushi, karage (fried chicken), okonomiyaki (pancakes), and edamame (soy beans).
As one of the kids said, it was the bestest meal ever!
We had a lot of fun and learned a lot about Japanese culture along the way!
If you have a youth interested in Japanese culture and live near Windsor, NS, be sure to check out the summer camp that Masami and Hiro run through the Dorian Hall Academy of Performing Arts.
Japanese Cultural Camp, Windsor
Participants experience different culture through a wide variety of activities including Origami, Calligraphy, Abacus, Japanese Traditional Toys, Dance, Music and more…..
July 13th ~ 17th, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
For ages 7 to 11 year old, at the Dorian Hall Academy of Performing Arts (Windsor Community Centre)
Fee : $130.00
dorianhapa@gmail.com
