Wabisabi - Blog -

Being a self-proclaimed soba connoisseur I often seek out hole-in-the-wall soba restaurants specializing in handmade noodles. There is such a huge difference between handmade and machine processed noodles…..so I thought. The other day I had a shocking conversation regarding this topic while out drinking with some coworkers.

I just so happened get on the subject of soba noodles with the restaurant owner where we were drinking. According to the owner, the majority of the noodles that restaurants serve are actually machine processed…..even if they advertise “handmade”. I was totally floored. You mean to tell me that for all these years I have been eating processed stuff without even knowing it!! “Yep”, said the owner, “however, a lot of the processed stuff is better than the handmade noodles.” Wow, I should have never asked.

This past weekend our city held its annual summer festival. Being the largest festival of the year the town was alive with people in full festival gear. Throughout the city you can hear “seiya! seiya!” as men, women and children paraded a portable shrine throughout the city. In my younger days I also participated in carrying the shrine but since have realized my physical limitations and opted to not suffer the swollen shoulder and stiff arms.

Before the parading of the shrine the long-nosed spirit or “Tengu” usually makes an appearrance. Often a character in old fairy tales the spirit lives in the mountains and is rarely seen (maybe similar to a “forest fairy” or “elf”?). As the myth goes, those lucky enough to touch the Tengu will have a very fruitful year. Of course I urged the kids to chase the Tengu and bring good fortune to our family. However, as any kid would be, they were really scared to approach the Tengu-let alone try to touch him! By the time the kids got the courage to approach him the Tengu disappeared in the crowd along with my hopes of having a lucky year……..and the wait till next summer begins.

B.（2009.7.13）