The Yaki Imo Man - Sweet Potato Culture in Japan - Post #1

I've spoken about my memories of my grandmother, and will continue to open that fragrant treasure box from time to time, but I need to mention that what I also hold dear are memories of waking to early morning calls in Japan of the "Yaki Imo Man".

Yaki Imo means "roasted potato" in Japanese, but what the Yaki Imo Man sells is sweet potatoes.

Sometimes, this many years later, I even hum the particular song of the Yaki Imo Man who drove down our street in Toshimaen outside of Tokyo so many years ago when I worked for Honda. I loved his song, and it reminded me of my high school years in Richmond, Virginia, when the Wood Man and the Watermelon Man would drive their old trucks down the streets early in the morning, too, and late in the evening, calling out their wares, hoping we would stop them and help them provide for their families.

It wasn't only the Ice Cream Man many of us remember.

In any case, I found on ubiquitous YouTube a tolerable clip (some were not tolerable) of the Yaki Imo Man so you can see:

Sweet Potatoes carry memory everywhere.

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOw99dt1h3o

- Mrs. Davenport