On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., an exchange event was held at the Bunkyo Comprehensive Welfare Center, organized by the Bunkyo Diversity & UNESCO Association.

The Bunkyo Diversity & UNESCO Association is a civic group aligned with the principles of the United Nations UNESCO Charter. Their activities focus on creating a safe and supportive society for children, encouraging their curiosity and challenges with the support of adults. A total of 11 students from SNG participated, along with 46 young people ranging from elementary to high school age, from the Association.

For this exchange, the idea was to create international sweets together and connect through cooking. Participating international students suggested desserts they could prepare themselves, and one was selected. In the end, Kevin from Canada’s butter tart was chosen as the dessert of the day.

At 1:40 p.m., the students were divided among four cooking stations, and the young were free to join whichever table they preferred. At 1:45 p.m., self-introductions began at each table, allowing for open communication. Cooking started around 1:50 p.m., and the interaction naturally developed while preparing the sweets. A simple recipe was written on the whiteboard, and everyone followed it step-by-step.

First, butter and cake flour were mixed. Kevin moved between the tables, giving tips and helping everyone along. Once the butter and flour were blended, eggs were added to form the tart dough. The dough was then wrapped and placed in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Yuri from Taiwan, who is a pastry chef specializing in Italian cuisine, also assisted quickly and skillfully. While waiting for the dough to chill, participants prepared lemon juice and the filling paste, made by mixing brown sugar and butter. Yuri expertly blended the paste, incorporating air to create a fluffy texture. Nuts were then crushed into small pieces to top the tarts.

At 2:40 p.m., the chilled dough was rolled out flat. Using an upside-down bowl, they cut the dough into circles and placed them into tart cups. The brown sugar paste was poured in, topped with crushed nuts, and baked in the oven for about 15 minutes.

While the tarts were baking (around 3:30 p.m.), there was a short explanation about Setsubun (February 2nd). Ingredients for ehōmaki (lucky direction sushi rolls) were prepared. Everyone could choose their favorite fillings, spread rice over seaweed, and roll their own sushi. Ingredients included tuna, eel, salmon roe, salmon, tuna mayo, ham, avocado, cucumber, and vinegared rice. As 2025’s lucky direction was west-southwest, everyone faced that way while eating their ehōmaki rolls.

By 4:00 p.m., just as everyone had finished eating, the butter tarts were beautifully baked. Everyone happily chatted, saying “Delicious! Delicious!” as they enjoyed the treat

At 4:15 p.m., a second batch of butter tarts was put in the oven while everyone began cleaning up. Since the kitchen had to be fully cleaned and vacated by 5:00 p.m., a flurry of fast and focused cleaning began. Many of the young people exchanged LINE contacts with the international students they had bonded with. It was a meaningful and fun exchange for everyone involved.

Why are these students learning Japanese?

We asked the participating students what inspired them to study Japanese:

Bel (Portugal)

“I love Japanese novels—Tanizaki Jun’ichirō, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, Kawabata Yasunari, Ōe Kenzaburō, Murakami Haruki. I’m also a fan of Japanese fashion, music, and culture, so I wanted to learn the language.”

Yuri (Taiwan)

“I’m a pastry chef specializing in Italian cuisine. I want to study Japanese cuisine, which is why I started learning Japanese.”

Rebecca (USA)

“I want to live in Japan. There are so many things I love here. Japan really suits me—for example, I like small things. I don’t like driving, and in Japan, you can live without needing a car.”

Elian (USA)

“I want to go to university in Japan and major in engineering. I love Japanese culture. I became interested in Japan after watching the movie Big Hero 6, which features a Japanese middle schooler who builds robots.”

Abi (Indonesia)

“I’m an otaku. I love Japanese culture, especially “oshi-katsu” and anime. I’m also into collecting “otaku” merchandise like ita-bags.”

Alex (Italy)

“I love learning foreign languages—I’ve studied Chinese, English, and French. Five years ago, I learned about Japanese history, paintings, and ukiyo-e at the Japan Cultural Center in Rome. I couldn’t come to Japan because of COVID, but now I’m finally here, and I’m so happy. I also love cooking.”