Eien will talk about natto, the fascinating, delicious, and nutritious fermented soybeans from Japan. The demo will include samples of fresh natto and offer ideas for traditional and non-traditional preparations. In Japan, natto is highly regarded as a ‘superfood’ with many health benefits including cardiovascular health, brain function, bone and teeth strength, and improved digestive system. Because all natto imported into the United States is frozen, this is a very rare opportunity to taste fresh, organic natto, whether you consider yourself a fan or not yet!
ADMISSION FEE* (includes fresh natto sample for tasting)
This event is presented in partnership with the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California. The Center is also offering the same workshop at their facility on Sunday, July 10. Click here to view The Center’s workshop event registration page.
*Fees and donations help cover program expenses and sustain OACC’s capacity to bring high-quality workshops to our audiences. If the above fee presents a high barrier to your participation, please email programs@oacc.cc for assistance.
Eien Hunter-Ishikawa is a musician and educator based in Portland, Oregon specializing in drumset, taiko, percussion, and shinobue. Born in Japan, his passion for drumming started at an early age through the involvement of a youth taiko ensemble directed by Saburo Mochizuki, a founding member of Tokyo’s pioneering taiko ensemble Sukeroku Daiko. Eien continues to work in a wide variety of artistic collaborations and offers private lessons, online instruction, and workshops that also highlight his non-taiko areas of expertise including knife sharpening, vegetable fermentation, and natto demonstrations.