In 2021, we held an online workshop for high school students in Okinawa to learn how to make uburu, a traditional Yonaguni Island folk instrument, and explore culinary tastes.

Uburu, a kuba leaf-made pail, was once used for getting water from wells. It has also been used as a culinary utensil since it can be filled with water and heated to boiling over fire.Kuba leaves are abundant in Yonaguni, and they may also be utilized to wrap food as well as as a censer filled with sea sand. Through the session, We were able to convey to the high school students the limitless possibilities of the kuba leaf, as well as the lives of our ancestors who made full use of it. Throughout the taste workshop, the learners explored the fundamental flavors—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami—and learned how to combine them with spices to produce a variety of tastes. Through the program, participants cultivated a daily interest in food by engaging all five senses.