Would you like to make sasazushi with your grandmother?
Award Winners
Nagano Girls' High School
Rina Tsukui and Yasuha Kobayashi
Rediscovering my hometown
- Elderly people (grandmothers) in Iiyama City
The aging rate in Nagano Prefecture is 31.0%. Of the 19 cities in Nagano Prefecture, Omachi City has the highest aging rate (36.7%), while Iiyama City is second at 36.4%, meaning that more than one-third of the population is elderly (eligible). Nagano Prefecture is famous for being a prefecture with a long life expectancy. - Sasazushi
This is a battle food given to Uesugi Kenshin by the people of Tomikura during the Sengoku period. It is pressed sushi with vinegared rice placed on bamboo leaves and topped with ferns, shiitake mushrooms, and giant walnuts.
Ways to revitalize the local area
"Making Sasazushi with Grandma"
I have made "sasa-zushi," a local Iiyama dish, many times with my grandmother and mother. It's a very simple cooking technique, but my grandmother's dexterity and exquisite presentation make it something neither my mother nor I could replicate. So, I thought it would be great if tourists visiting Iiyama could experience this fascinating and fun process. Both Iiyama's aunties and the local dish, "sasa-zushi," are unique to Iiyama. In other words, I came up with a tourism business plan. In recent years, experiencing indigenous traditional culture and interacting with local residents has become popular among foreign visitors to Japan. In addition to sasa-zushi, Iiyama still has many other traditional foods and crafts. It would be interesting to create a series of "Cooking with Grandma" or "Cooking with Grandpa" videos.
Comments and points regarding the award
When it comes to utilizing local resources, many plans focus on scenic spots and ingredients, but I think it's great that they focused on the most familiar business resource, "grandmothers," and came up with a plan that would utilize the charm and strengths of "grandmothers."I also think it's great that they thoroughly researched the current situation in the region by looking at multiple sources, and that they are even considering presenting a more expansive plan.
2017 Excellence Award 2017 Jury Recommendation Award
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