Making Okinawa-style Onigiri with Erina Tōyama (online)

Registration will open in mid-May — Stay tuned!

Join us for a special online cooking event exploring Okinawan food culture through one of its most beloved local specialties — Pork & Egg Onigiri.

This live virtual program will take place on Thursday, June 25, 6:00–7:00 PM (CST) and will be led by Erina Tōyama, JOI Coordinator. During the session, Erina will introduce the historical background of postwar Okinawa and share how local food culture developed, highlighting the popular “Pork & Egg Onigiri,” often made using SPAM® — a brand headquartered in Minnesota.

Participants will learn how to make several Okinawa-style onigiri variations, while also enjoying a short presentation about Okinawan cuisine and cultural context. Whether you cook along at home or simply watch and learn, this is a fun opportunity to connect food, history, and community.

Menu (Planned Flavors)

• Plain
• Tuna Mayo
• Andansū (Okinawan Pork Miso)
• Chikinaa Stir-Fry

Ingredients List (Organized by Onigiri Type)

Base Ingredients (for all onigiri)

• Cooked Japanese rice
• Nori (seaweed)
• Salt

Pork & Egg (Spam Onigiri)

Tuna Mayo Onigiri

Andansū (Okinawan Pork Miso)

Chikinaa Stir-Fry Onigiri

Tickets:

JASM Member: FREE

Non-JASM Member:  $10

Please note that tickets are non-refundable. However, they are transferable. Please contact jasm@mn-japan.org for transfers

Erina Tōyama was born and raised in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Her first experience living outside Okinawa was in Shanghai, China, when she was 24 years old. During her university years, she took a two-year leave of absence and worked at the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai. These valuable experiences helped her to realize the importance of grassroots international exchange for maintaining good relations between the two countries, and led her pursue a career in the field. She says that encountering different cultures and values through international exchange is not only enjoyable but also deepens one’s understanding of oneself, and she believes it can surely be helpful to others as well. Being from an island herself, she has personally experienced how access to information can vary depending on one's location. Through her experience as a JOI coordinator, she expects to learn what kind of efforts are needed to create more opportunities in such a regulated environment. Now, she says, she is very excited to create many opportunities for international exchange from Martin, Tennessee.