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Teacher Sharing｜Lin Shuhui

▍Teacher Introduction

Toukaya Teacher Course Cohort 5, graduated from the Department of Tourism and Leisure and has taken national certification exams. She holds Class C licenses in baking, bread making, bartending, and Chinese cooking. She currently runs a small restaurant with her husband.

 

▍What kind of opportunity did you get to know Toukaya?

Because of my interest in baking and dining, I often search for related books in online bookstores. During my search, I came across Teacher Emily Wu's "Wagashi Bible" and immediately ordered it. After receiving the book and carefully reading it, I discovered the profoundness of Japanese wagashi. Reading the book alone could not satisfy my curiosity about wagashi, so I searched for keywords related to Toukaya and Teacher Emily on the web. As a result, I found out that she offered wagashi teacher training courses, which made me very happy. However, at that time, I was not able to attend the regular teacher training courses.

 

▍What made you want to sign up for the course?

Because I had been keeping an eye on the start date of the teacher training program, I also saw the course content. The course design and content were truly rich and challenging. While waiting for the program to start, I couldn't wait to sign up for a few trial classes. The instructors were graduates of the teacher training program, and they were all professional and patient. During those few short learning sessions, I made up my mind that "I must sign up for the teacher training program if I have the chance." Finally, my hard work paid off, and I was able to sign up for the weekend teacher training program at Toukaya. Without hesitation, I immediately signed up!

 

▍Can you please share with us your journey from student to teacher?

The weekend teacher training program was a compact and intensive learning experience. Toukaya's curriculum design allowed me, a novice student, to gradually improve my handcrafting skills while learning to make wagashi by hand. In addition, each instructor possessed extraordinary abilities and shared their knowledge generously during the course. Just as Teacher Emily said, what she wanted to do was "pass on" the skills. I learned the skills passed down to us by the teachers and instructors during the classes, which made me make a wish: "One day, I also want to accept the challenge like my seniors and have the opportunity to become an instructor, so as to continue this legacy." After graduating from the teacher training program, I stroved to serve as a teaching assistant whenever I had the opportunity and time, learning how to take care of each student in class while also learning how to be a competent teacher. 

 

▍Is there anything you can share with everyone who has not taken the course?

Time waits for no one, and opportunities are even more so. If you're interested in wagashi, why not give yourself some time to learn? Who knows, it might spark a new passion for Japanese wagashi! Honestly, during class, whenever I saw my handmade wagashi finished product, it felt like a burst of inspiration—it was both beautiful and delicious! Although tiring,it was a fulfilling experience~