U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Calah Thompson ()
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The sweet smell of fresh baked goods dances through the air, and warm natural light pours in from the sky lights as residents of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni walk around the Yamadaya Momiji Manju factory in Hatsukaichi, Japan, May 23rd, 2023. From behind a glass panel, they watch the workers mixing and pouring and working diligently to create these sweet maple-leaf shaped treats.
Momiji Manju is a sweet cake made of buckwheat and rice flour traditionally filled with sweet red bean paste. There are a variety of other flavors and fillings available as well. This sweet treat was originally made in 1907 on Miyajima Island which has made the Hiroshima prefecture famous for it. Recently at the G7 Summit, held in Hiroshima from May 19th to the 21st of 2023, world leaders were given this treat as a gift during their visit to the city.
18 residents of MCAS Iwakuni visited the Yamadaya Momiji Manju factory as a part of the cultural adaptations program. During the trip, residents had the opportunity to learn some of this history and even more. They also were able to interact with the president of the company and see the process of the Momiji Manju creation, as well as have the opportunity to taste test momiji manju and buy their own.
“In the past, I’ve participated in local tours from my husband's previous duty stations, and it was always enjoyable,” explained Nikki Jaramillo, a Navy spouse who recently moved to MCAS Iwakuni. “This one was really interesting and unique because cultural adaptations offered the tour for free, and it provided a local experience that was special to the area.”
Cultural adaptations is a program run by Marine Corps Community Services that aims to help those who are new to the air station comfortably adjust to living in a new country and embrace the culture of the local area and Japan.
One of the trips that they regularly hold is the newcomers’ bus tour. The tour has been incorporated into the newcomers’ brief and teaches those individuals how to use public transportation and shop and order at restaurants. While on the bus and traveling, those who are facilitating the trips will teach the participants new phrases in Japanese and encourage them to practice them.
“If you are new to the air station, join our welcome aboard bus tour first,” said Mickie Watanabe, a Cultural Adaptations Specialist with MCCS, “and then they'll know how to purchase stuff and use public transportation and little by little hopefully you grow used to living in Iwakuni, Japan!”
Main photo caption:
Yasufumi Nakamura, the president of the Momiji Manju Yamadaya factory, gives a presentation to members of a cultural adaptations trip on the process of creating the momiji manju at Hatsukaichi, Japan, May 23, 2023. Cultural adaptations is a program through Marine Corps Community Services that gives residents of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni opportunities to immerse themselves in the community and culture of Iwakuni and of Japan.
