We could participate in vocational experience of ‘Wakame’ packing this year
[From Ohfunato City-my stricken home town]
– East Japan Great Earthquake & Tsunami Disaster-
Wakame’ seaweed harvested from their farm was washed away by the tsunami, but local fishermen’ association gave a part of their harvest
34 students in the 2nd grade from Massaki Junior High School participated in packing ‘Wakame’ seaweed in the morning on September 8. It is a part of vocational experiences at the so-called birthplace of ‘Wakame’ seaweed aquaculture. The school has introduced a series of processing works from cultivating to packing as a vocational experience for students. However, the tsunami on March 11 washed away all their harvest. The students in the school has cultivated ‘Wakame’ sea weed in their nursery for sales in Tokyo every year, but their ‘Wakame’ seaweed was completely washed away at the tsunami on March 11. Actually, their harvest of ‘Wakame’ seaweed had been finished dipping in salt for processing on March 10 at the Kadonohama Port. It was just one day before the tsunami.
Although, the students almost gave up selling ‘Wakame’ seaweed this year, a local fishermen’s association gave a part of harvest to the school.
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| The harvest of Wakame has been processed and sold in Tokyo by students |
The students in white caps and gloved hands were divided into two groups. One group was in charge of measurement and another was in packing. They made 800 packages in 200 g each. They have usually sold packages during their school excursion to Tokyo, but it has been postponed caused by the tsunami disaster. They plan to sell them at the gymnasium on September 25 this year instead. The price is 400 yen which is cheaper than market price. They also plan to send 200 packages to Ito City, Shizuoka which sent contributions to Massaki Town.
‘I prayed for strong recovery with all my heart while engaged in packing wakame seaweed.’ Mr. Keisuke Tabata (14) expressed in powerful voice. ‘I hope they can learn how to create our local community in future through vocational experience of ‘Wakame’ cultivation.’ Mr. Hidio Sasaki (76), ex-vice president of the Massaki Fishermen’s Association, expected young people.
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| The monument of the birthplace of ‘Wakame’ seaweed aquaculture |
Mssaki Town started a large scale cultivation of ‘Wakame’ seaweed in 1957 for the first time in Japan. Massaki Junior High School has started bringing this ‘Wakame’ cultivation to their vocational education since 2002 to promote proud of their local background.
＜Reference＞
http://mainichi.jp/
http://www.iwate-np.co.jp/
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