High school students revive Jomon pottery as parfaits; specialized museum hosts event to showcase local charms

FUEFUKI, Yamanashi — The Shakado Museum of Jomon Culture, a specialized museum exhibiting artifacts from the Jomon period (approximately 10,000 B.C.E. – 300 B.C.E.), hosted an event in which high school students made parfaits modeled on Jomon doki pottery in Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture.

The event aimed to showcase the charms of the area, where an abundance of ruins and relics from that time have been discovered.

The museum’s vice-director led the parfait-making project, hoping to introduce people to the ancient wares through sweets made with local delicacies and fruits. The event was held at Marusa Marche on July 3, a local café that sources ingredients from its own farm.

Students from the prefecture’s Fuefuki High School participated as part of their studies. More than 15 third-year students attempted to make parfaits in the image of the Suienmon pottery piece unearthed at the Shakado Ruins, which span the towns of Fuefuki and Koshu in the prefecture.

Based on pre-made designs, the students finished the dessert with peach pudding and tea from Nambu, another city in the prefecture, as well as sweets and other ingredients.

“It was difficult to follow the design plan, but it was fun to learn about Jomon,” said student Ayane Miura, 18. Miura said she tried to recreate the color of Jomon pottery using jelly.

Based on this test, the museum wants to sell parfaits inspired by Jomon pottery. The museum also wants to organize a parfait making workshop in the café in August.