• Japanese: 小浜市 (Obama-shi)

Obama is a city in Fukui prefecture. It was an active medieval seaport, and the location of Obama castle, the administrative center of Obama han during the Edo period. Today, Obama is famous for its 400-year-long history of producing lacquered chopsticks, and for its coincidental name-association with US president Barack Obama. Roughly 80% of the lacquered chopsticks produced in Japan are produced in Obama;[1] the most luxurious, traditionally lacquered chopsticks with designs in gold or silver foil are called wakasanuri-bashi.

References

  1. Plaque at Obama city booth at Japan Day, Central Park (New York City), May 2009.

External Links