Mirai・Sukiyaki・Japan

Name： Mirai Koike

Hometown： Japan, Wakayama Prefecture

Faculty/year：2nd year, Faculty of Law

Hobbies and Interests: Love to play instrument

Q:Where do you come from?

A: I'm from Wakayama!

It's an amazing place which is surrounded by a lot of nature and is a peaceful city with many grandpas and grandmas. My home is far away from the nearest station which takes around one hour by walking and it doesn't have many people in the station. One of the reasons I studied at Soka university was because I longed for a city like Tokyo. However, although Hachioji is also part of Tokyo, it had a decent amount of nature which was unlike the feeling I longed for, it definitely feels like a countryside (laughs).

Q: What's your favourite place in Japan?

A: Kyoto and Nara!

Kyoto and Nara are well known as the most famous places to study Japanese history. It is a great place for international students to learn about Japanese history and has the opportunity to eat a lot of delicious food. My favourite food in Kyoto is "Yatsuhashi'’ (A kind of popular souvenir snack made from glutinous rice, sugar, and cinnamon). Besides, it is interesting to feed the deer some “Shika Senbei”(Deer’s Cracker) in the Nara area.

Q: Let's introduce us to the cuisine you would like to share with us!

A: Sukiyaki!

I found out through my own research that Sukiyaki has a short history, dating back to the Edo period. It was first eaten by farmers who used their ploughs as griddles to heat and grill their food while they worked. However, it is different from now. The beef was so expensive that it was not available to the general public until the Meiji period.

Q: Finally, what would you like to say to the people who have seen this recipe book?

A: Please try the Sukiyaki!

It is my favourite dish. It would be great for all the international students to try it so that we have more in common to share and a chance to get to know everyone better!