OSAKA, Japan — The Canada Pavilion hosted a Mio ramen event in collaboration with Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS) and Mio, a small seaside district in Mihama town, Wakayama Prefecture, to celebrate the history and friendship between Mio and Canada.
Mio and Canada have a unique connection. Starting in the late 19th century, following Japan’s opening to Western trade, a significant number of Mio residents emigrated to Canada, a trend that continued until Japan’s high economic growth after World War II.
Many families in Mio today have relatives living in Canada. Although fewer people emigrate from Mio to Canada now, this shared history is commemorated by the Canada Museum in Mio. The museum’s exhibits showcase the journey of the emigrants, such as how they left Japan and built new lives in Canada. Additionally, the museum offers resources and information for Japanese Canadians with roots in Mio who wish to trace their family history.
Through this connection between Mio and Canada, a Mio ramen event was held at the Canada Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo in mid-September. Students from Mio came and presented about Mio’s unique connection with Canada. In addition, students from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies came and demonstrated how to prepare Mio ramen.
Mio ramen is a unique ramen that started as a university project at KUFS in the Community Engagement Program. The declining population and the increasing number of vacant houses have been an issue in Japan, and the students were given a project to devise a plan for reusing vacant houses in the Mio district. For this project, KUFS, Mihama Town, and NPO Hinomisaki America-mura came together to make a local ramen called Mio ramen that uses local Ise-ebi lobster (Japanese Spiny Lobster). The broth of Mio ramen is made from pork, chicken, and Ise-ebi lobster, and miso from Wakayama. The ramen was topped with chashu made with Canadian pork in collaboration with the culinary team of the Canada Pavilion. “Mio ramen is a bridge between Canada, Mio, and our university,” one of the student participants said.
The university also has close ties with North Island College in Vancouver Island as they are partnering schools, and the President of the University, Lisa Domae’s grandfather is from the Mio district. From this connection, North Island College hosted a special event last September, serving Mio ramen to its students and community.
“Food is a bond that we all share and I love the idea of people coming together and sharing food,” said Matt Fraser, the deputy Commissioner General of the Canada Pavilion.
