#pasona

03.11.2017

The title may well declare all that needs to be declared, but I will provide a little more information on how the chain of events in my life today led to the (attempted) creation of a well endeared Japanese snack.

Today was Japanese culture day - one of 16 national holidays in Japan. I was quite obviously unaware of this when I submitted the hours I would work for the coming week. There was no such ambiguity of today being a national holiday when I turned up to work to find the entrance of the building wearing its finest huge steel shutters… I should have known something was wrong when I was able to actually sit down on my train this morning. In a midst of complete confusion I phoned the only other colleague of mine who was working today (another warning sign) whereupon I drew a large sigh of relief as the shutters crawled back into their home and I could see three whole humans. I soon realised that Travel Hub was the only business open in the entire building and prepared myself for what I anticipated to be some of the longest 8 hours of my life.

My anticipations were gravely mistaken as the day unfolded to be one of the most enjoyable so far in my working life. With the firm certainty that no customers would be gracing us with their presence, my boss suggested that myself and my colleague could make some Japanese snacks as Travel Hub are about to launch their kitchen area as a place where travellers and tourists can make and try authentic Japanese food. During the process of preparing the food, my boss took pictures and will use these to promote our kitchen to people interested in using the space.

I’m not sure if the picture above justly illustrates the true extent of my failure in constructing a rice ball (おにぎり) but, believe you me, it was at best calamitous. I think my ruinous attempt at piecing together this largely uncomplicated snack all but sent my accolade of “Year 6 cooking competition winner” plummeting down the bottomless pit of fiction. I suppose if I drain as much positivity from this situation as I can then foreign travellers might look at these pictures and be encouraged to get making Japanese cuisine on the premise: “I can’t possibly be as woeful at it than that”. My second attempt was no greater a success and, at that, I gracefully retired from my brief career as a rice ball chef.