Local junior high school students get work experience at Mitchan Souhonten Jizo Street store! We cover the experience closely

[Work experience] Jizo Street store before opening

*This article is an excerpt from the YouTube channel of "Hiroshima Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten [Official]".

On July 4, 2024, before the opening of the Mitchan Sohonten Jizo-dori store, a somewhat tense greeting of "Good morning" echoed through the store. Second-year junior high school students from Hiroshima City came to the store as part of a work experience program to learn about society.

After a brief explanation, the students began preparations before opening. They put down chairs and wiped down tables, unfamiliar tasks, but they worked hard. However, when they were pointed out details they normally wouldn't notice, such as a small stain on the corner of the hot plate or how the chairs were lined up to a few centimeters, the expressions on the four students' faces seemed to become even more serious.

[Work experience] Opening of Jizo Street store

After that, they do various pre-opening tasks such as preparing cold water and bottling sauce, and finally it is time for the store to open. From this point on, they serve customers with the support of store staff. It is the first experience for the junior high school students! Perhaps because they are nervous, they can't speak much and their movements are somewhat awkward.

However, as time went on, their tension seemed to gradually ease, and eventually they were even seen to take the initiative.

Seeing the students, Nagakiyo of the Jizo Street store said with admiration, "They learned so quickly it's hard to believe it was only two days. They are absorbing what we're teaching at a different level."

[Workplace Experience] Lunch Time

After the lunch rush, it was finally time for lunch. Since I was there, I decided to have the okonomiyaki cooked for me!

With the help of the staff, we placed the ingredients on the batter. Then, finally, we moved on to the process of flipping the batter over! This is the most difficult and tense moment in making okonomiyaki.

Everyone was able to flip it over successfully. It's hard to believe it was their first time!

Next, place the batter on top of the boiled noodles and the eggs cracked onto the hot plate. Spread on the sauce and your okonomiyaki is complete!

It was 1:55pm, a later-than-usual lunch time. The students had been tense all morning, but now they could finally relax and eat their okonomiyaki.

Despite all that tension, the okonomiyaki he cooked himself seems to have tasted really good!

Let's try Hiroshima's soul food, okonomiyaki, at Mitchan Souhonten!

We reported on the work experience of junior high school students from Hiroshima City at the Jizo Street branch of Mitchan Souhonten. The students absorbed a lot in the short period of two days. We hope that this work experience will contribute to the "dreams" of the children!

The official YouTube channel of Mitchan Souhonten is broadcasting the progress of the children who are working there. Okonomiyaki is a soul food that represents Hiroshima Prefecture. Please come and try the okonomiyaki at Mitchan Souhonten with your family and friends.

Please click here to watch the YouTube video "Local junior high school students come to Mitchan Souhonten for work experience!"

Click here for the YouTube channel of "Hiroshima Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten [Official]"