Event organization

We opened a one-day-only pop-up diner, “Collab Diner Rink,” created through a collaboration between Chef Hiroshi Furusho, who is from Usuki City and is also well-versed in the food culture of Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture (a fellow UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy) and students from the Marine Science High School.
A limited number of 200 meals were offered and sold out in about an hour after opening. Many people were able to enjoy creative dishes made by a top-class chef using Usuki ingredients, which helped raise awareness of “Usuki, a Creative City of Gastronomy.” On the day, we also received cooperation from the Usuki City Restaurant and Bar Association and the Usuki City Dietary Improvement Promotion Council, enabling exchange across generations and organizations.

Number of visitors

approx. 200

As one of the projects commemorating the 20th anniversary of the new Usuki City’s establishment, we held an event featuring sales of processed foods and boxed lunches by restaurants and other vendors from within and outside the city. In addition, as a first-ever initiative, we invited UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from Japan and abroad—San Antonio (USA), Macau (China), Bergamo (Italy), and Tsuruoka City (Yamagata Prefecture) —to host “Food Culture Yatai (food stalls),” a “Special Lunch,” and a drone show using 200 drones.
We also held workshops led by Kanazawa City (Ishikawa Prefecture) and Tamba-Sasayama City (Hyogo Prefecture), both Japanese UNESCO Creative Cities in the field of Crafts & Folk Art. By giving many visitors the chance to experience not only Usuki’s food culture but also food cultures from around the world, the event provided an opportunity for people to rediscover the appeal of Usuki’s food culture.

Number of visitors

approx. 8,400

At “Kicchomu Village Summer Festival 2024,” hosted by the Kicchomu Village Summer Festival Executive Committee and the Notsu Town Chamber of Commerce Youth Division, we set up a “UNESCO Gastronomy Booth” as one of the projects commemorating the 20th anniversary of the new Usuki City’s establishment. We offered hands-on, Usuki-specific experiences such as miso scooping and an aquarium where visitors could touch and experience marine creatures. We also held quizzes about the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and Usuki’s food culture.

Number of visitors

approx. 3,000

We held an event where visitors could not only enjoy delicious food, but also experience Usuki’s food culture and the importance of sustainable food through workshops and exhibits related to food. We also invited five Japanese UNESCO Creative Cities—Tsuruoka (Yamagata), Asahikawa (Hokkaido), Tamba-Sasayama (Hyogo), Kobe (Hyogo), and Nagoya (Aichi)—and held workshops related to each city’s designated field.

Number of visitors

approx. 2,200

To foster public awareness of Usuki’s brewing industry and to revitalize local restaurants, we held a food festival spotlighting fermented foods born from brewing, one of Usuki’s key industries.

Program

• Fermentation stamp rally (participating venues: 25 local restaurants)
• Original dressing-making experience
• Miso-making experience
• Fermented sweets workshop

To foster public awareness of Usuki’s brewing industry and to revitalize local restaurants, we held a food festival spotlighting fermented foods born from brewing, one of Usuki’s key industries.

Program

• Eat-and-drink stamp rally (participating venues: 20 local restaurants)
• Complimentary miso soup service
• Original ponzu-making experience
• Miso-making experience
• Fermented food workshop

To help residents feel closer to the idea of a “UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy,” and to more widely raise awareness that Usuki City was aiming to join the network, we held a fair offering food from Parma, Italy—the coordinating city of UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy.