Attendees at the Sushi Night held at the residence of the Japanese ambassador Oka Hiroshi in Cairo
First, Ayumi Hashimoto, Director of the Japan Foundation Cairo Office, who participated as a guest speaker, presented an overview of the ‘Sushi: A Cultural Heritage’ travelling exhibition currently on show at the Gezira Arts Centre.
Hashimoto also explained through a special video clip the origins and development of Japanese Sushi.
This was followed by a demonstration on “How to Make Sushi”, presented by Chef Hamana, the ambassador’s house chef in Cairo, who prepared 20 pieces of 10 types of Sushi, including traditional ancestral Sushi and newly invented Sushi, with impressive skill before the attendees.
Japanese ambassador Oka Hiroshi holds a Sushi Night to introduce the magic and joy of Sushi, Courtesy of the Japan embassy in Cairo.
The participants included many former ambassadors of Egypt in Japan and Italy, the General Coordinator of Egypt's Initiative for Smart Green Projects, Hisham Badr, PR expert, novelist and founder of Soft Power Production Company, Mona Zaki, Director of the Gezira Arts Centre Amir El-Lithy, and a host of journalists.
A demonstration on “How to Make Sushi” was presented by Chef Hamana.
Japanese food was registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013, and Sushi, in particular, is one of the ideal symbols of Japanese cuisine.
"The appeal of Sushi, which is widely known and loved by many worldwide, lies in the taste and flavour of its ingredients and the beauty of form and precision of workmanship that stems from the skill and craftsmanship of Sushi chefs," explained the Japanese ambassador.
"We hope that this event has contributed to conveying the magic and appeal of Sushi to everyone, leading to the rediscovery of Sushi as a part of Japanese culture," he concluded.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, a lecture entitled “History and Variety of Sushi” was given by Sushi researcher Mitsutoshi Hibino, Professor at Aichi Shukutoku University, and honorary Director of the Shimizu Sushi Museum.
A workshop will be held on 6 June on how to make Sushi that includes around 20 participants.
The exhibition continues until 2 June. Located at the Gezira Arts Centre in Zamalek, the exhibition operates daily from 9 am to 9 pm, except Fridays.
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