NICE Gourmet Japanese Course
    Open with more than three students

    Course Objective

    Food
    The Hattori Foundation logo Japanese culinary culture was born from Japan’s long history and natural environment and has unique characteristics and appeal around the world. The NICE course is designed to let students learn about this food culture by participating in a variety of hands-on experiences over the course of 1 week. Anyone interested in Japanese cuisine should definitely not pass up this opportunity to learn about and experience Japan’s unique culinary culture. The course will be held in Japan’s two most beautiful seasons: cherry blossom season in spring and the season of colored leaves in autumn.

    In the Japanese classes, students will learn food-related words and conversations vital to understanding Japanese cuisine. Students will be able to master the vocabulary learned by actually using it, not just in the classroom but also through active learning at kaiseki-ryōri restaurants, izakaya, supermarkets, and more as part of the curriculum.

    Furthermore, in this course students will learn how to cook authentic Japanese dishes from an experienced, qualified culinary instructor in cooking classes and go on tours to deepen their understanding of Japanese cuisine. The course is jam-packed with hands-on experiences of Japanese culinary culture, making the best possible use of your limited time.

    This course is targeted at beginners of Japanese, and the culinary activities and tours will be conducted with explanations in English and simple Japanese.

    Let’s experience Japan’s unparalleled food culture in this course!

    Application Closed.

    Outline

    Course period November 21st 2017 (Tuesday) - November 25st 2017 (Saturday)
    Check in/Check out November 20th 2017(Monday) / November 26th 2017 (Sunday)
    Class time 9:00 AM - The ending time will vary depending on the day.
    Course duration 1 week
    Number of classes 10 Japanese classes + several tours
    Class length 50 minutes
    Number of students Up to 10 students
    Accommodation Homestay(It is also possible to stay at a hotel near the school.)

    Content

    Main Content

    Cooking 1) Culinary Japanese Classes: Words and Conversations Related to Japanese Cuisine
    Students will learn vocabulary and expressions related to Japanese cuisine. The course aims for the acquisition of a level of Japanese suitable for sightseeing in Japan without problems and an improved ability to communicate in Japan. Classes will use YAMASA’s own original digital teaching materials and know-how and are designed so that even those who are just beginning their Japanese language study will be able to steadily improve according to their own pace.

    2) Cooking Classes: Learn to Cook Japanese Foods That You’ll be Able to Make Even After Returning to Your Home Country
    Students will learn authentic methods of preparing Japanese cuisine from an experienced, highly qualified culinary instructor. We will be making simple, delicious foods that you will be able to cook for family and friends after returning to your home country. Classes will be held in English and simple Japanese.

    3) Japanese Culinary Culture Tours - Experience Everything from Japan's Everyday Foods to Japanese-style Cuisine Made with Traditional Techniques
    Students will be able to enjoy Japanese foods and beverages and visit a variety of places where ingredients are made. You will not only be able to experience and appreciate Japanese culinary culture for yourself but will also be able to understand the close relationship it has to Japanese culture as a whole and the Japanese language.

    4) Homestay - Experience Real Japanese Everyday Life
    YAMASA's homestays are with select Japanese families who align with YAMASA’s ideals. This is a valuable opportunity to experience everyday Japanese eating habits and learn about Japanese culture by personal experience in an environment that you will be able to relax in. (If you wish to stay in a home where English will be understood, please let us know when you apply. It is also possible to stay at a nearby hotel instead of at a homestay.)

    Timetable

    Timetable

    Itinerary

    November 20st(Monday)

    Participants should arrive in Okazaki by Monday evening.
    If you are doing a homestay, please arrive at the school by 17:00, and your host family will take you directly to the homestay from there. If you are staying at a hotel, please go directly to the hotel and check in there. In both cases, it is possible to use YAMASA's airport pick-up service to get from the airport to the school or your hotel. (A separate fee will apply.)

    November 21st (Tuesday), Day 1

    Tea ceremony Culinary Japanese Class

    Lunch with Japanese Instructor
    We will eat lunch at the café on campus while enjoying various conversations about Japanese food, life in Japan, and so on.

    Making of Matcha Field-Trip and Experience
    Tea ceremony is one part of traditional Japanese culture. We will visit one of Japan's leading production areas for matcha used in tea ceremonies (Nishio). Students will see where the matcha is produced with traditional methods and be able to experience the high quality matcha made there for themselves.

    Activities will end at around 16:00.

    November 22nd (Wednesday), Day 2

    Tofu-making Experience
    Students will visit the factory of one of Japan’s popular tofu makers and will get to see how tofu is made. There will also be a hands-on experience in which students will be able to try making tofu themselves. Additionally, students will get to sample a variety of sweets made using fresh tofu and other ingredients.

    A Creative Cuisine Lunch of Healthy Tofu and Dried Beancurd
    At a restaurant in a traditional Japanese building (Otoufuyuba Ishikawa), students will be able to enjoy cuisine made using local vegetables and seasonings that will include many variations of tofu and dried beancurd. The creative cuisine is rich in ideas and will surely be a good reference for your own culinary ideas.
    *Dried beancurd: A filmy substance made from soy milk that is frequently used as an ingredient in clear broth soups, stewed or boiled dishes, and various other foods.

    Mizkan Museum Visit
    Students will visit Mizkan, one of the makers of Japan’s characteristic traditional seasonings, and see the interactive culinary exhibits at the Mizkan Museum. While learning about the history of Mizkan, students will be able to enjoy various exhibits and hands-on activities related to Japan’s extensive food culture.

    Walking the Tokoname Pottery Footpath
    Students will visit the historic pottery town of Tokoname and have a chance to see and purchase a variety of pottery, including both traditional and contemporary tableware. While walking along the 1.6 km pottery footpath, students will be able to enjoy the unique atmosphere and scenery of the pottery town, seeing brick chimneys and kilns, old black wooden factory buildings, a hill road made of scrap pieces of pottery, and more.

    Activities will end at around 17:00.

    November 23rd (Thursday), Day 3

    Culinary Japanese Class

    Grocery Store Tour to Learn About Japan's Everyday Ingredients
    Students will tour the area's grocery stores and supermarkets with their Japanese instructor, seeing for themselves what kinds of ingredients for Japanese cuisine are sold and learning the names of different food products. For lunch, students will be able to purchase and eat foods that interest them at the stores visited.

    Okazaki Castle and Tour of Old Japanese-Style Sweet Shops/Cookware Shops
    We will visit Okazaki Castle and its accompanying museum. The castle is the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan's important historical figures and a military commander from the Warring States period. Afterwards, we will tour old Japanese-style sweet shops and stores selling cookware and tableware in the castle town.

    Visit to Japan's Largest Shopping Mall Chain (Optional)
    Aeon Mall Okazaki is the Okazaki branch of Japan's largest shopping mall chain. It is an enormous shopping complex with over 200 stores that sell everything from traditional to cutting-edge items. This include stores selling food products, tableware, fashion, home appliances, children's goods, and books as well as a movie theater, restaurants, a game center, and more. You'll be able to take a look at what sort of things Japanese people generally eat and use.

    Activities will end at around 17:00.

    November 24th (Friday), Day 4

    Culinary Japanese Class

    Japanese Cuisine Cooking Class
    Japanese food frequently uses a unique ingredient called "dashi". While learning about its fundamentals, you'll be able to experience making delicious, appealing-looking dishes that you can cook for your family and friends even after returning to your home country. We will make 3-5 types of food, and afterwards everyone will eat them together.

    Students will have free time after 15:00.

    November 25th (Saturday), Day 5

    Izakaya Culinary Japanese Class

    World Cultural Heritage Site Japanese Cuisine Lunch
    We will have lunch at the Japanese-style restaurant Adusa, which is registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site. You will be able to experience authentic Japanese-style cuisine prepared by artisans using traditional techniques.

    Tour of an Old Factory of the Traditional Japanese Seasoning "Miso"
    We will visit a factory that has been using a traditional recipe to make miso for over 300 years. Students will be able to tour the factory's miso-producing area and experience the taste of traditional miso.

    Closing Ceremony

    Izakaya Tour
    There will be one important experience left even after the closing ceremony ends. Students will be able to experience an izakaya, or Japanese-style pub, which can be difficult for foreigners to enter and order at on their own. If you can go to an izakaya on your own, then you're truly a master of Japanese cuisine.

    Activities will end around 20:00.

    November 26th (Sunday)

    Individuals will leave their homestays or hotels in the morning.
    If you are staying at a homestay, please have your host family take you to a nearby station or use YAMASA's send-off service to get to the airport. (A separate fee will apply.)
    Those staying at a hotel will also be able to use YAMASA’s send-off service to the airport.

    Tuition Fees

    Staying at Fees (¥)
    Homestay 160,000
    Hotel 195,000

    Pick-up Fees

    Direction Fees (¥)
    From airport to school 12,000
    From homestay or hotel to airport 12,000

    Refund Policy

    Students are entitled to the following refunds if they notify YAMASA of their cancellation (via e-mail) by the following dates (JST-Japanese Standard Time).

    Students will be entitled to a full refund should they notify YAMASA by the 11th of October 2017.
    Students will be entitled to a 2/3 refund if they notify YAMASA between the 12th of October and 13th of November.
    Students will be entitled to 50% refund if they notify YAMASA between the 14th and 20th of November.
    Students who cancel from the 21st of November onward will not be entitled to a refund. ​

    Please note that any refunds conducted via bank transfer will incur transfer costs.

    Visa Information

    You may be able to enter the country on a short term visa if you are coming from overseas or on a working holiday visa. Please note that your length of stay will be determined largely by the passport that you hold (See note below).
    Student visas are only issued for courses that run for more than a prescribed total of 1 year and due to the fact that the length of this course can be subject to change, it is not possible to apply for a student visa to enroll initially enroll in this course on an exclusive basis.
    Note: In 2014, the Japanese government granted exemptions to a group of 67 countries in regards to applying for short term visas; meaning that residents of these countries are better able to enter Japan.
    For further information regarding whether or not you qualify for any of the two visas listed above or if you currently hold or will apply for a different type of visa to those listed above, please contact the admissions department at YAMASA via e-mail at admissions@yamasa.org or via telephone at 81 (0)564-55-8111.

    Application

    Congratulations! By choosing to study at YAMASA, you have taken the first step towards improving your Japanese language skills!
    The next step that you will need to take is to start the application process.

    Final notification on running of the course

    YAMASA will endeavor to provide notification to all NICE students by the 10th of October 2017 if there have been any changes to the course or overall cancellation of the course due to various factors (insufficient enrollment numbers, natural disasters, unavoidable circumstances, illness etc.).
    In circumstances such as those listed above, YAMASA will contact each applicant and refund their tuition in full if this is the student's preference.

    Disclaimer

    1) Some locations listed within the itinerary that require forward booking (such as restaurants) may change to a different yet comparable location if reservations are unable to be made at the initial premesis/location.

    2) Previously arranged events may need to be cancelled on the chance of inclement weather, natural disasters, terrorist attacks or acts of God.

    Questions

    Please feel free to contact us via e-mail at admissions@yamasa.org or to call us on +81 (0)564-55-8111.
    We aim to reply to all inquiries within 24 hours (excluding Japanese Public Holidays).