Onigiri and Miso Soup - A Taste of Japanese Home Cooking
Sunday, September 28, 2025
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Instructor: Chef Aiko
Location: The Center
$40 Center Members, $50 General Public
We are very excited to host visiting Chef Aiko from Himeji, Japan for her onigiri and dashi cooking workshop! Aiko is also a Japanese culinary instructor and cooking expert, sharing her knowledge of washoku and dashi culture through cooking classes and workshops in Japan and abroad. This workshop’s theme will be Chōyō no Sekku, which is one of Japan’s five seasonal festivals, traditionally celebrated on the 9th of September. It is a day to pray for longevity and good health, and chrysanthemums—symbols of purity and rejuvenation—are used as decorations and also incorporated into food. Chestnut rice (kuri gohan) is eaten as a seasonal delicacy during this time, celebrating the autumn harvest and symbolizing prosperity.
Workshop Menu:
- Kuri Gohan (Chestnut Rice) Onigiri
- Miso Soup made from authentic dashi
- Grilled salted salmon
About Chef Aiko:
Chef Aiko is a visiting chef from Japan, based in the city of Himeji, Japan in Hyogo Prefecture, about 60 miles west of Osaka and famous for its majestic Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Aiko became a chef because of her love of cooking and eating that started with the influence of her family growing up. She has previously lived in California and is excited to share her culinary skills with the community during her return visit to San Francisco this summer! Aiko is the chef of her own restaurant, where she hosts her Himeji Washoku Umami Cooking Exchange cooking classes for locals and foreign tourists alike. She loves meeting people from all over and sharing Japanese culture and Washoku cuisine, and is always eager to learn and try foods from places outside of Japan as well.
Check out Aiko’s restaurant and classes and beautiful photos of Aiko’s cooking on her Instagram accounts:
If you ever happen to travel to Japan, visitors to Himeji can book cooking lessons with Aiko through AirBnB Experiences.