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Throwback Thurs: Confluence Kitchen & Culture of Japan

04/29/2020  |  BY rfw

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Do you remember the very first Confluence Kitchen event? We sure do! We worked with Fort Wayne Sister Cities International and the Japanese American Association of Indiana Inc to bring an unforgettable event to Fort Wayne this past January. If you didn’t get to come to Confluence Kitchen in January, be sure to make it on July 11^th at Confluence Kitchen: Featuring the Culture of Mexico.

Delicious Dishes

Our mouths are watering just thinking about the delicious food served up by local restaurant Pho-Shi. This authentic Japanese restaurant delivers high quality, tasty food. The owner of the restaurant, John Moy, worked with us to create a custom menu made just for you! There were scrumptious yakisoba noodles with vegetables, yummy karaage (or Japanese fried chicken nuggets), sushi, and fresh fruits.

An Intricate Craft

We learned how to fold origami from a passionate local named Reiko Komiya. Along with student volunteers from Laura Semba’s Carroll High School Japanese class, Reiko showed people how to make everything from boxes to frogs that actually jump! With their instructions, anyone and everyone learned how to fold beautiful origami.

Dressed for the Occasion

Reiko and our own Special Events Coordinator Jen Brown dressed up in traditional kimonos and explained the meanings and intricacies behind their garments. It can take an hour simply to get dressed in the many layers and special wrapping and knotting of the clothes. Did you know that there are many types of kimonos for different occasions?

We all learned so much about the culture of Japan that day and got to meet people in our own community who call that culture their own. There are many resources in Fort Wayne that can help you continue to learn more about the rich and beautiful culture of Japan. Here are some for you to check out: Fort Wayne Sister Cities, PFW Japanese Saturday School, Japanese American Association of Indiana, and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.

Would you like to see your culture celebrated at Confluence Kitchen in the future? We would love to hear from you and work together to create an event that reflects your culture and our community. Contact Brooke at [email protected] or (260)427-6022.

Blog by Brooke Bieszke, Riverfront Fort Wayne Special Events Coordinator

For over a year, Brooke has worked on Riverfront’s educational and cultural programs including Confluence Kitchen, the Riverfront Agora, and Calm Water Sensory Tent.