#Japan #Tokyo #Japanese Cuisine #ABC Cooking Studio #Joy of Taste

ABC Cooking Studio Joins the Joy of Taste Project

The Japanese government is taking steps to promote the country’s culinary traditions through a new initiative called the Joy of Taste Project (楽しもう！にほんの味). ABC Cooking Studio, headquartered in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, has officially joined this initiative as of January 2026. This project is designed to connect the values of Japanese food culture, especially traditional cuisine, with the next generation, while providing everyday opportunities for people to enjoy it.

A Commitment to Spreading Home Cooking

Japanese cuisine was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2013, reflecting its significance both domestically and internationally. Amidst the diversification of food preferences and changes in lifestyle, the challenge of how to pass on the values of Japanese food culture to future generations has become a pressing social issue. For years, ABC Cooking Studio has offered enjoyable learning opportunities through daily cooking courses and corporate collaboration programs about Japanese home cooking and the fundamentals of traditional cuisine. Since the renovation of its basic cooking class in 2022, approximately 60,000 students have participated in lessons designed with the concept of sharing beloved family recipes from parent to child. The decision to participate in the Joy of Taste Project stems from the desire to share the cultural value of Japanese cuisine on a larger societal scale.

Goals of Participation in the Project

Through its involvement in the Joy of Taste Project, ABC Cooking Studio aims to achieve several goals:

• - To participate in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ initiatives and widely communicate the value of Japanese cuisine and culture.
• - To create opportunities for individuals to experience Japanese flavors and culinary traditions through ABC’s activities.
• - To clearly express the company’s social responsibility and commitment to cultural inheritance.

Looking ahead, ABC plans to propose enjoyable experiences related to learning Japanese flavors through lessons, information dissemination, and events.

Basic Cooking Class: Featuring Traditional Japanese Menus

ABC Cooking Studio's basic cooking class adopts the theme of passing down traditional Japanese home cooking, tailored to modern preferences. Out of a total of 12 lessons in the course, six feature traditional Japanese menus, showcasing recipes such as:

• - Flounder Fried with Panko, served with rice, simmered pumpkin, and chicken meatball soup with vermicelli.
• - Tender Ginger Pork served with rice, kinpira gobo (stir-fried burdock root), spinach namul, and miso soup with drop eggs.
• - Juicy Fried Chicken with rice, potato salad, quick pickle made of daikon and lemon, and miso soup with mizuna greens and fried tofu.
• - Flavorful Simmered Mackerel with daikon radish, rice, rolled omelet, sesame-coated spinach, and pork soup.
• - Savory Meat and Potato Stew with rice, hijiki salad, and katsuobushi and kombu furikake.
• - Impressive Rolled Sushi and Inari Sushi, served with salmon nanban, and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard).

For further information about the basic cooking classes, please visit ABC Cooking Studio's website.

About the Joy of Taste Project

The Joy of Taste Project is an initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries aimed at promoting the enjoyment of Japanese cuisine as a delicious, healthy, and universally accessible lifestyle. It encourages consumers to enjoy a flow of experiences that involve