Event Report: Elementary Students Cook Rice in Pots and Make Onigirazu! Commemorating the Publication of 'Cooking Basics for Elementary Students That You’ll Want to Make Again and Again'

Takahashi Shoten Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toshima City, Tokyo; President: Mican Shimizu) held a parent-child food education event on July 5, 2026 (Sunday) at Restaurant Cassolo (Toranomon, Tokyo) to commemorate the publication of 'Cooking Basics for Elementary Students That You’ll Want to Make Again and Again' (authored by Mogumogu Kids Cooking Room, Ayako Ushioda, released March 2026).

The event was co-hosted by Takahashi Shoten, Ayakitchen LLC (Koganei City, Tokyo; Representative: Ayako Ushioda), the operator of 'Mogumogu Kids Cooking Room,' and Chef's Value Inc. (Headquarters: Minato City, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hiroyuki Aoki).

On the day, 11 parent-child pairs selected by lottery participated. Applications exceeded five times the capacity, demonstrating strong public interest.

Dressed in matching chef coats and hats, the young chefs learned lifelong cooking basics that make home cooking more enjoyable. Here’s a report on the lively event.

Learning Safe Cooking Techniques from the Pros: Starting with Fire Safety

At the start of the event, instructor Ayako Ushioda explained the essential rules for safely enjoying cooking, as detailed in the book. 'This book clearly explains how adults should perform tasks and what they should say when cooking together at home. Today, while working together, I hope you’ll also learn what children pay attention to.'

First, participants carefully learned about fire handling.

Ushioda: 'You can’t see the flame of a gas stove from above. How low should you lower your gaze to see it?'

Children: 'We can see it when we sit down!'

Ushioda: 'That’s right, you can see it when sitting. But you don’t cook while sitting, do you? So it’s important to lower your gaze to the flame’s height to check it.'

They were also taught safe ingredient handling and how to hold a pot with one hand.

Instead of simply saying 'It’s dangerous, don’t do it,' the instructor explained 'why it’s dangerous' and 'how to stay safe' from the children’s perspective, earning deep nods from parents.

No Rice Cooker? No Problem! Observing the Moment Rice Cooks in a Glass Pot

The first half of the main program focused on cooking rice in a pot.

When Ushioda asked, 'Who has cooked rice in a pot before?' not a single hand went up.

Amid murmurs that 'cooking rice in a pot seems difficult,' the instructor smiled and said, 'Actually, it’s very easy. As long as you know the key points, you can cook rice in any pot.' She then shared the two secrets to successful rice cooking: water ratio and heat control.

First, Ushioda demonstrated the process.

Using a transparent glass pot, everyone observed how the rice transformed into cooked rice.

Children: 'Look! Bubbles are forming!'

Children: 'It’s bubbling now!'

They also learned how to use their five senses to tell when the rice is done.

Ushioda: 'If the heat is too high and it might burn, what kind of smell do you think will come? It’s the smell of a snack everyone knows, made from rice.'

Children: 'Rice crackers!'

She explained that even without seeing inside, you can tell the rice is cooking by sound, steam, and smell.

Ushioda: 'When opening the pot lid, open it away from people.'

She gave verbal cues to children at each step to prevent steam burns.

After observing the instructor’s demonstration, participants returned to their tables to cook rice themselves.

With adults supervising heat adjustments, they successfully cooked the rice.

When they opened their pots, cheers erupted from every table.

Creative Onigirazu: Does Ingredient Order Matter?

After the rice had steamed perfectly, it was time for the long-awaited onigirazu making.

First, Ushioda demonstrated.

The key to onigirazu is wrapping it tightly. While pressing with one hand, she explained the folding technique: 'side, side, top, bottom.'

Using a small bowl to shape the rice made it easy for children to place ingredients.

Families tried making two types of onigirazu.

The first was the basic onigirazu using thin omelet, which requires no fire and is featured in the book.

Regarding the recipe’s instruction of 'a pinch of salt,' she carefully explained a common stumbling block for children: 'Do you know how much “a pinch” is? It’s about what you can pinch between your thumb and index finger.'

The second was a customizable onigirazu where children could choose from various ingredients like ginger pork and meat crumbles.

Ushioda: 'How should you layer the ingredients? There might be an order that tastes better when eating, or one that looks prettier.'

Children: 'What about by calorie?'

Ushioda: 'Calorie order might be a bit tricky (laughs). Think about it as you create!'

Exchanging such fun conversations, they spread rice on nori sheets and layered their favorite ingredients before wrapping them up.

When cut in half, colorful and beautiful cross-sections appeared!

They joyfully took photos with their handmade onigirazu.

Bringing the Joy of Cooking from Book to Home

The taste of rice they cooked and onigirazu they made themselves was extraordinary.

During the tasting session, children’s radiant smiles lit up the room.

Parents shared: 'This became a great opportunity for us to cook together. It was very clear and even we parents learned a lot.' 'Each step was explained in child-friendly language, and we were able to make onigirazu for the first time. It was so much fun.'

Children said: 'I want to make onigirazu at home by myself,' 'It was really fun. I became more interested in cooking,' and 'The teacher’s explanations were very easy to understand.'

The cooking basics children learned at this event can be practiced at home using the book 'Cooking Basics for Elementary Students That You’ll Want to Make Again and Again.' It’s packed with tips on how adults can support and encourage children when they say, 'I want to cook!'

As a first step toward enjoying cooking together as a family, we highly recommend picking up this book.

[Event Overview]

Date: July 5, 2026 (Sun) 11:00–13:00

Venue: Restaurant Cassolo

Instructor: Ayako Ushioda (Author of 'Cooking Basics for Elementary Students That You’ll Want to Make Again and Again')

Organizers and Co-hosts: Takahashi Shoten Co., Ltd., Mogumogu Kids Cooking Room (Ayakitchen LLC), Chef's Value Inc.

[Book Information]

Title: 'Cooking Basics for Elementary Students That You’ll Want to Make Again and Again'

Price: 1,650 yen (tax included) Pages: 128 Size: B5

ISBN