Made in USA Chopsticks to Japan, China & Korea!

Yesterday, I was at a meeting of Japanese investment firms. They were talking about the difference between western ways and Japanese ways of investing in new companies and start-ups and how Chinese ways of business in this area are much like those of the United States.

There were many comments about the decline of the USA but one guy threw us a curve ball that was really interesting. During the meeting, one anecdote came up about how there is a town in the USA that is actually exporting chopsticks to Japan and China! 


I couldn't believe it, so I did a Google search this morning. Jeepers! It's true.


It's even in Time Magazine:

It seems everything we buy these days says “Made in China.” But millions of the Asian nation's iconic chopsticks are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Two hours south of Atlanta lies the source of millions of Chinese chopsticks. Who would have thought? It's hard to imagine a place more quintessentially red, white and blue – the town, nestled firmly in the heartland of Georgia, is called Americus.

And their luck runs as deep as their love for country: Americus has the ideal type of wood for making chopsticks. The abundant forests of poplar and sweet gum trees in the area strike the perfect balance between hardness and softness, making a comfortable yet sturdy eating utensil for many across the world.

What's more, the region is no stranger to wood harvesting, with pine manufacturers and paper corporations – think Georgia-Pacific – helping to ease the industry's barriers to entry.  Jae Lee created Georgia Chopsticks in November and is already producing 2 million chopsticks each day. They're selling their craft primarily to Chinese supermarkets but also are helping hungry people in Japan, Korea and the U.S.

So, I guess saying that the USA doesn't manufacture anything that other countries want to buy besides airplanes, missiles and bombs, the USA can still export a few lemons and a couple of other things to Japan and chopsticks to China!

Japanese Parody of American TV Shopping: Do Japanese Eat Potato Chips with Chopsticks?

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

I've read lots of weird things where westerners think that Japanese do not eat food with their fingers. Well, I've never heard of such a thing and wonder, if that were true, then why do Japanese people eat sushi with their fingers?

A woodblock print showing a woman using chopsticks

Well, I know people in India do not eat with their left hands (I will leave it to you and your imagination why)... But I haven't heard anything about Japanese people having an aversion to eating with their fingers.

The use of chopsticks in Asia goes back about 1,700 before Christ. I do know for a fact that the first record of chopsticks in Japan was found in an archeological dig that dated back at least 2,500 years ago. So we know that Japanese people used chopsticks at least that long ago. See Wikipedia.

Recently, I even had a person ask me if Japanese people eat potato chips with chopsticks. Now, while that may be a good idea, as chips are oily, I've never seen or heard of such a thing. Maybe they do as a sort of party game.

Or maybe the person who asked me this saw this parody on Japanese TV and thought it was real.



No. This is a joke. But, they do sell this product. I've seen it. So, while it is a joke, the product is real...

TV Shopping has become big on TV in Japan too and one can see these infomercials hawking all sorts of stuff everyday, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This one, though, is an attempt at humor to sell a product to kids, I think....

Thanks to: http://www.misscellania.com/

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Keywords: Chopsticks, potato chips, Mike Rogers, TV shopping, parody, Marketing Japan, Mike in Tokyo Rogers

Shinkansen "Bullet Train" Chopsticks

By RICK MARTIN

One of the more popular items to come out of Japan last year was Kotobukiya's "Star Wars" Light Saber Chopsticks, which made the rounds on popular tech blogs such as Gizmodo, Wired and TechCrunch's CrunchGear. And while they might not have "the force" (nor the brand power) of any "Star Wars" product, Japanese company Daiwa Toy (www.daiwatoy.co.jp) has a similar set of chopsticks that will be sure to make a splash among Japanophiles and densha otaku(train geeks) the world over.

The shinkansen chopsticks — also known as the "Chopstick Express" — take the form of Japan's famous bullet trains. If you've ever taken the shinkansen, it's quite possible that you bought a boxed lunch to enjoy during your trip. Can you think of a more fitting pair of chopsticks with which to dine on a train? I don't think so.

Unlike the actual shinkansen, these chopsticks are not divided up into multiple cars, but rather each chopstick is crafted into one long, sleek car that gives the impression of a train rocketing down the tracks, a mere blur to the human eye as it zooms past. Because the form of a chopstick tapers off into a narrow tip, the illusion of perspective is easily created, making this miniature replica appear deceptively long.

For extra dramatic effect the package design includes railway tracks underneath each train, as well as a tunnel near the bottom out of which the chopsticks appear to be racing out of. While many people will buy these shinkansen chopsticks with the intention of using them to eat, the elaborate and beautiful package makes an excellent display case should you opt to show off your pair on the mantle.

Included among the varieties of shinkansen are the 0-Series train. That was the first shinkansen to be introduced, in 1964, and it was only retired in 2008. The recent N700-Series train is also available, this being the latest model to hit the tracks just three years ago. According to Daiwa Toy, the N700 chopsticks are 21 cm long and other models will be comparable. In total, four different kinds of shinkansen will be produced, giving train fans and collectors a sizable collection.

For anyone who would like to pick up a pair of their very own shinkansen chopsticks they can be purchased at Yamashiroya in front of JR Ueno Station, but you can expect to see them on sale in more and more station kiosks in the future.

Alternatively, if your Japanese is up to snuff, you can buy them online at (www.eki-net.biz/j-retail/g109001).

For overseas buyers, Jbox.com (www.jbox.com/PRODUCT/YYN408) is one online merchant that has already sent these special trains over the Pacific Ocean.

One of the most attractive features of these unique utensils is the price: ¥630 ($7.50) a pop! The Chopstick Express makes a perfect souvenir to remember your travels in Japan, particularly if you spent any significant time riding the shinkansen during your visit. But be warned: Children will probably end up playing with their food far more than before.

Rick Martin is a contributor to CNET and Gizmag. Read more of his work on his website at 1rick.com

From Japan Times