October 28rd 2018 O.A.
Sushi & Sake Festival
Sunday, November 4th was the Sushi & Sake Festival at Little Tokyo.
This year is the 19th year held by the JRA.1
Press Secretary, Takeshi Osuga greeted the attendees at the opening ceremony.
Afterwards, kagamiwari sake barrel breaking was done by the related individuals.
Varieties of Japanese food are available at the event, but sushi is the most popular.
The sushi chefs of the famous restaurants were making sushi nonstop.
Other foods include: udon and soba noodles, oden, shabu-shabu, takoyaki and desserts.
Japanese sake is a must have with Japanese food.
Along with the popular sake, sparking and flavor sake were also available.
Attendees tested their favorite sake munching on snacks.
A giant tuna filleting show was done for entertainment.
Everyone had their eyes glued to the professional filleting technique.
The tuna was divided and served as a sushi at the scene.
JRA was founded in 1999 under the mission of improving the techniques and food safety management for Japanese food.
Members are all restaurant and food manufacturer individuals.
Back in the day, not only the public but specialists also misunderstood the food safety for Japanese food when dealing with raw ingredients.
Therefore, JRA planned the Sushi & Sake Festival to widely spread the Japanese culture through food.
13 food booths and 18 beer and sake companies participated this year.
American Film Market
October 31st to November 7th was the American Film Market (AFM), the largest film event in the US held in Santa Monica.
More than 7000 industry individuals participate from 80 different countries. Business from buying films to funding film production were done at the event.
JETRO participated as the Japan booth for another year.
They supported selling films for 10 production companies.
This production company brought ninjas to promote their product.
The casts for the show focusing on kunoichi promoted their own show on the spot.
JETRO Assistant manager, Kanazashi states besides supporting Japanese companies going into foreign markets, it is also very important to support these companies because films and TV contents now form how Japan is seen to the world as many people watch them.
This is Tokyo Film Commission participating for the first time.
Japan booth also had Japanese sake and shochu samplers available as entertainment also introduces Japanese cultures.
It was popular among the attendees as it introduced Japan’s food culture as well as making it easy to discuss business.
Sou Fujimoto Exhibition
An exhibition displaying architect, Sou Fujimoto’s work is happening at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles in Hollywood.
Many Japanese architect work outside Japan and Fujimoto is indeed one of them.
He is known for creating designs that brings people and the city together.
This composite facility is one of Fujimoto’s projects currently under construction in France.
It is designed to unite the residents with the nature surrounding them, creating communication.
The exhibition entitled “FUTURES OF THE FUTURE” displays more than 100 models and introduces Fujimoto’s view towards architecture and his production process.
Fujimoto says buildings are “seed for the future.”
His exhibition title “FUTURES OF THE FUTURE” also has his wish for people to dream beyond what is already displayed as the future architecture.
“Sou Fujimoto: FUTURES OF FUTURE” is a free of charge exhibition.
Please visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website for details and opening hours.