A symbol of cultural change in Japan, she's making the cut as a sushi chef By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.26.15 Word Count 893 Yuki Chidui, sushi chef and manager at Nadeshico sushi restaurant, cuts a cucumber roll to make a set of sushi at her allwomen restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 3, 2015. AP Photo/Koji Sasahara TOKYO, Japan Sushi's growing popularity has helped spread Japan's cultural influence to the rest of the world. Now, the raw fish dish is becoming a symbol of cultural changes within the country's own borders. A number of jobs in Japan have been off limits to women for ages and working the sushi counter is one of them. Certain traditional views have kept women from trying to enter the sushi world. Many people believe that women's warmer body temperatures would hurt the taste of their sushi, which must be served cold. Sushi chefs are also known for their "Edo-style" macho attitudes. Some women are challenging traditions like these by learning the art of sushi. Their timing is perfect. Right now, the Japanese government wants more women to get jobs because the number of people working in Japan is shrinking. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
"Fresh And Kawaii" One of the women leading Japan's sushi trend is 28-year-old Yuki Chidui, a sushi chef who runs the Nadeshico sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Nadeshico's staff is entirely female and her store's motto is "fresh and kawaii," which means "cute." Sushi chefs are known for their closely cropped hair and crisp, cocky language, but Chidui has purposely avoided trying to look the part. She is soft-spoken and seems almost childlike in her kimono with pink flowers on it. Flyers for the restaurant show her as a doeeyed "manga" character. Manga are comic books in Japan. "I think women are better at communicating with customers, and they're kind and gentle," Chidui said. Chidui had been in a rut and felt confined working at a department store when she decided to take a chance and start her own business. Her journey has not been an easy one. Chidui has had to put up with lots of insults and disrespectful behavior since she opened Nadeshico five years ago, particularly from male customers who make fun of her and question her abilities. Wanting More Women In The Workforce The All Japan Sushi Association estimates that Japan has 35,000 sushi chefs in total. It does not keep an official number of the female sushi chefs working in Japan, but says they are rare. Fearing that its already slow economy would only get worse, the Japanese government has made it a point to encourage women to join the workforce. Women are being freed of their homemaking responsibilities so they can contribute to Japan's production and growth. By 2020, the government wants women to fill 30 percent of the leadership positions in Japanese businesses. It is an ambitious goal since women currently make up just 8 percent of leadership positions in companies with more than 100 employees. According to government official Takaaki Kakinuma, the plan will not involve a crackdown on specific industries that have been closed to women in the past. It is strictly focused on creating leadership opportunities for women, he said. Becoming a sushi chef is difficult. It takes several years to learn how to ball up a decent "nigiri" sushi and at least a decade to properly run a restaurant. Chefs-in-training usually are not permitted to hold a knife for the first year, spending most of their time on deliveries and dish-washing. Masayuki Tsukada, 34, started training to become a sushi chef at 18. When asked why he has so few female co-workers, he shrugs it off as "prejudice." This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
Tsukada says that experience is what really counts when it comes to being a good sushi chef. He emphasizes skills like being able to talk and keep all of the orders straight at the same time he is preparing the sushi in front of the customer. At Nadeshico After An AKB 48 Concert The sushi profession is gradually opening up. Tokyo Sushi Academy offers two-month crash courses in sushi-making, with about one-fifth of the Japanese students being female. A third of the students from abroad are women. "More women are accepted as sushi chefs at casual restaurants, and more so abroad than they are in Japan. The traditional sushi places are still male-dominated," said Sachiko Goto, the academy's principal. Restaurants where Tsukada and other professionals work charge 10,000 yen ($100) or more for dinner. Their menus feature fancy, exotic fish, such as marbled tuna or rare types of baby fish. Nadeshico's meals cost about three times less. It might not be as fancy, but those enjoying their meals at Nadeshico said they liked what they were getting. "This tastes so good," said Masataka Nakayama, 40, a physical therapist. He and a friend took a train from northeastern Japan to Tokyo to check out back-to-back concerts by AKB 48, a female singing-and-dance group. Nakayama said sushi at Nadeshico was the perfect way to end the visit. The women who served his food did not seem that different from AKB 48 members. Forgetting The Delights Of Sushi? Chidui describes sushi as deceptively simple because it requires a lot of preparation ahead of time to deliver a fine but varied taste. She says she is disappointed that some Japanese people are forgetting the delights of sushi. Many choose instead to eat pizza and "gyudon," which is sliced beef over rice. Some settle for "kaiten zushi," which is sushi rolled off a robotic conveyor belt. Still, Chidui feels she is finally getting good at making sushi, and hopes more women will follow in her footsteps. "This is really fun," she said. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
Quiz 1 All the following sentences from the article illustrate a central idea EXCEPT: Some women are challenging traditions like these by learning the art of sushi. Chiudi describes sushi as deceptively simple because it requires a lot of preparation ahead of time. Raw fish is becoming a symbol of cultural changes within the country's own borders. Chiudi feels she is finally getting good at making sushi, and hopes more women will follow in her footsteps. 2 Which of the following sentences illustrates the MAIN idea of the article? Although sushi-making is a seemingly simple task, in reality it is a complex skill that takes years of practice. Working women in Japan are trying to set themselves apart from their male peers by taking a new and different approach to business. The Japanese government needs to take immediate action to ensure that there is gender equality in the workforce. Japanese women are entering the world of the male-dominated sushi profession to contribute to their country's production and growth. 3 Why does the Japanese government want women to join the workforce? It wants to get rid of outdated traditions in Japan. It thinks women are better communicators. It wants to speed up a slowing economy. It thinks women should have the same opportunities as men. 4 Why does Chidui want to avoid looking like a traditional sushi chef? She wants to set herself apart as a woman trying to make it in a maledominated profession. She wants to inspire male sushi chefs to change their appearance for the better. She wants to send the message that female sushi chefs are stronger than men. She wants to show Japan that she is contributing to its production and growth. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
Period: 2 nd, 4 th, 7 th, 8 th, 9 th, 10 th Basic Info Title of Article: Author: News Source: People and places List and describe the places mentioned in the article: Key Terms Key term that you did not know/understand: Definition: Key term that you did not know/understand: Definition: Key term that you did not know/understand: Definition: Write a summary that is 5 or more sentences. What happened? What is the article about? Who is being affected? What will happen as a result? Etc.
Reactions and affects What is your opinion/reaction to the article? How does this story/event affect you and other people living in the US? Explain. (Make a connection between the text and something in your own life experiences) How does the event/story affect others around the world? Explain. ( /100) 2