Just as you have events and holidays unique to your home country, we have many special events throughout the year, which are strongly associated with special food or dishes that are prepared for that particular day.
This is a monthly course which focus on cooking special dishes for each month’s Japanese event. Not only you will learn to cook the dishes, you will learn about our customs, the history of our different events which are sure to make your life in Japan a more memorable, fun experience for you (and your family and friends)! You will be just amazed by how our ancestors defined every little detail with such special meaning behind it.
YES! you can start from any time of the year and
YES! you can also select only the months that interests you.
BUT! you’d probably end up taking them all, because there is always so much you can learn!
By the time you finish all 12, not only you will be an total expert on Japanese culture, learning about our different food ingredients will definitely make your trips to local supermarkets a much happier routine for you!
So come and join the fun!
*All classes will take place in my kitchen in HIYOSHI Yokohama.
Please consult for visiting lessons!
*NB: Online reservation and payment platform currently under construction
+JANUARY COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our FEBRUARY event >>
・SETSU BUN / Bean Throwing Event
You will learn to cook the following for our FEBRUARY event >>
・SETSU BUN / Bean Throwing Event
+EHO MAKI+ (Rolled Sushi)
+IWASHI JIRU+ (Sardine ball miso soup)
+GOMOKU MAME+ (Soy beans and vegetable simmered in DASHI broth and soy sauce)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+FEBRUARY COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our MARCH event >>
・HINA MATSURI / Girl’s Day or the Doll Festival
You will learn to cook the following for our MARCH event >>
・HINA MATSURI / Girl’s Day or the Doll Festival
+CHIRASHI ZUSHI+ (Scattered Sushi)
+HAMAGURI JIRU+ (Clam soup)
+TAI SAKURA AN+ (Sea bream with cherry blossom sauce)
+NANO HANA KOBUJIME+ (Canola blossoms marinated with KOMBU seaweed)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+MARCH COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our APRIL event >>
・HANAMI / Cherry blossom viewing
You will learn to cook the following for our APRIL event >>
・HANAMI / Cherry blossom viewing
+SAKURA GOHAN+ (Rice with salted cherry blossoms)
+HANA FU to TAKENOKO SUMASHI JIRU+ (Wheat gluten cake and Bamboo shoot clear soup)
+SAWARA no TATSUTA AGE+ (Deep fried Spanish mackerel)
+DASHI MAKI+ (Rolled ommelette)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+APRIL COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our MAY event >>
・KODOMO NO HI / Boy’s Day
You will learn to cook the following for our MAY event >>
・KODOMO NO HI / Boy’s Day
+CHIMAKI+ (Steamed sticky rice wrapped with green bamboo leaf)
+MISO SHIRU+ (MISO soup)
+AODAIZU Meatballs+ (Meatballs with Green soy beans)
+RAKKYO dip with veggies+ (MISO dip with pickled shallot bulb)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+MAY COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our JUNE event >>
・NAGOSHI no HARAE / Summer Purification Ritual
You will learn to cook the following for our JUNE event >>
・NAGOSHI no HARAE / Summer Purification Ritual
+NAGOSHI GOHAN+ (Shredded vegetable and seafood tempura bowl)
+MISO soup+
+KATSUO no TATAKI+ (Seared horse mackerel)
+GOMA DOFU+ (Sesame tofu)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+JUNE COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our JULY event >>
・TANABATA / The Star Festival
You will learn to cook the following for our JULY event >>
・TANABATA / The Star Festival
+SOMEN+ (Thin wheat noodles with 2 dipping sauces)
+TOGAN SOBORO AN+ (Simmered winter gourd with shirimp sauce)
+OKURA TOMATO AE+ (Okra and tomato dressed with tofu)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+JULY COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our AUGUST event >>
・OBON / Welcoming of Spirits of Ancestors
You will learn to cook the following for our AUGUST event >>
・OBON / Welcoming of Spirits of Ancestors
+EDAMAME GOHAN+ (Rice with salted edamame)
+MISO soup+
+SHOJIN AGE+ (Summer vegetable tempura)
+HIYA YAKKO+ (Chilled tofu with topping)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+AUGUST COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our SEPTEMBER event >>
・TSUKIMI / Moon Viewing Festival
You will learn to cook the following for our SEPTEMBER event >>
・TSUKIMI / Moon Viewing Festival
+KURI GOHAN+ (Chestnut rice)
+MISO soup+
+GAN MODOKI+ (Deep fried TOFU patty with vegetables)
+NASU DENGAKU+ (Grilled eggplant with MISO glaze)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+SEPTEMBER COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our OCTOBER event >>
・SHINMAI / Newly Harvested Rice
You will learn to cook the following for our OCTOBER event >>
・SHINMAI / Newly Harvested Rice
+SHINMAI+ (Glossy newly harvested rice accompanied by various popular Japanese rice accompaniments)
+IMO JIRU+ (MISO soup with taro potatoes and vegetables)
+SANMA no SHIO YAKI+ (Salt grilled saury)
+SHIOKARA DAIKON+ (Simmered DAIKON radish with squid salted and fermented in squid gut)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+OCTOBER COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our NOVEMBER event >>
・SHICHIGOSAN / Celebration of Children’s Healthy Growth
You will learn to cook the following for our NOVEMBER event >>
・SHICHIGOSAN / Celebration of Children’s Healthy Growth
+OSEKIHAN+ (Steamed glutenous rice with red beans)
+OSUIMONO+ (Clear soup)
+TARA no SAIKYO YAKI+ (Grilled MISO marinated cod)
+CHAWAN MUSHI+ (Savory egg custard with vegetables)
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+NOVEMBER COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our DECEMBER event >>
・TŌJI and ŌMISOKA / Winter Solstice and New Years Eve
You will learn to cook the following for our DECEMBER event >>
・TŌJI and ŌMISOKA / Winter Solstice and New Years Eve
+TOSHIKOSHI SOBA+ (New Years Eve SOBA noodles)
+YU DOFU+ (Japanese hotchpotch)
+ITOKO NI+ (Simmered pumpkin and red beans)
+ 1 to 2 side dishes
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
+DECEMBER COOKING LESSON+
You will learn to cook the following for our JANUARY event >>
・OSHOGATSU / New Years
You will learn to cook the following for our JANUARY event >>
・OSHOGATSU / New Years
+OZONI+ (Soup with MOCHI rice cakes)
+MATSUKAZE+ (Japanese meatloaf)
+NAMASU+ (Shredded DAIKON and vegetables pickles)
+KINTON+ (sweet yam puree in celebratory colors)
+Complementary snack, sweet or drink
*NB: Menus are due to change depending on availability of ingredients
Kaori doesn’t just teach a cooking lesson, she also shares ask many interesting facts about the culture behind the dishes. Everything is based on the current season, very delicious and on top of that done in her lovely home. We will definitely come back for another lesson.
Thank you so much for such encouraging words Saskia! I hope I didn’t tire you out with all the information on the meaning behind each and every little thing! (Well wait until you hear every single meanings of our New Years dishes!) Yes! please do come back again. Look forward to seeing you soon!
Your November cooking lesson was so wonderful, Kaori!!
Had a great time learning about Japanese dishes and the ingredients used. Loved the way you briefly described the importance and the customs related to each dish.
Thank you so much for joining us Sarika! Was a great pleasure to have you 🙂 Hope all we had shared will help you understand a lot of things you may spot during your life in Japan!
THis is so cool!
Thank you!! Hope you’ll join us too!