
<h3>What inspired you to work for Japan Culinary Institute?</h3><p>I love eating, and I was interested in working in the education field - so it was a perfect combination to work for a culinary school - helping people to learn about culinary art, while learning about food myself.</p><h3>Describe a typical day at work.</h3><p>When there are no courses, I answer inquiries about the courses, update information on websites or SNS, organize courses for students who will start soon, and contact chefs or restaurants in various locations and genres.</p><figure class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/1-1584767830.jpg" alt="Student showing what he cooked"><figcaption class="caption"><p>Trying Yakitori cooked by the student</p><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>Why do you do what you do?</h3><p>Japanese cuisine is one of the most interesting cuisines in the world, and the more I study about it, the more fascinated it becomes&nbsp; - and I'd love to share my passion for Japanese cuisine with the world.</p><h3>What is your favorite part of your job?</h3><p>To receive good feedback from students who participated in the program is the best part of my job, to see their happy faces at the end of the course. Of course, I love the part that I learn something new every day about Japanese cuisine, although I was born and raised in Japan, the world of Japanese cuisine is deep and without end.</p><h3>How do you use your education and international background in your current role?</h3><p>I spent a part of my life in Italy and Europe, as well as in Latin America - and I came to believe that food truly connects people - eating together at the same table - conversation over food - cooking for someone and caring for each other - and eating good food makes people happy without words. I studied how to make the world a better place, and working in education and food connects all the dots.</p><h3>What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?</h3><p>As we work with chefs and food experts, restaurants, who are very busy, organizing lessons with their busy schedule and achieving a high level, satisfying program for each student is often challenging, so I start to prepare as soon as I receive inquiries.</p><h3>What are some current projects you are working on?</h3><p>We are trying to build a good alumni network so that students who work in Japanese food industry all over the world can connect and communicate through alumni networks, and find more business opportunities, information.</p><h3>What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?</h3><p>To have a clear image of what you'd like to achieve, and prepare in advance - we start preparing for the courses after we receive applications, so the more time we have, the better we can prepare.</p><h3>What makes Japan Culinary Institute special?</h3><p>Our focus is not on getting as many students as possible, but to make each student as satisfied as possible, and help them achieve their goals which they came to Japan for. We do not give just cooking lessons to follow recipes and techniques mechanically, but we insist on teaching cultural aspects that make the cuisine "authentic" - thoughts and history give meaning to each technique, and makes the food different from others. Most of our students come with a goal of successful Japanese restaurants in future, and for that to be different from the rest is the key.&nbsp;</p><figure class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/2-1584768723.jpg" alt="Inside of the kitchen"><figcaption class="caption"><p>Interpreting Ramen Lesson</p><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?</h3><p>There are bigger schools with bigger classrooms and a bigger number of students, but if they choose our school, we will do our best to make their choice right - after all, we are a school for people who want to be different from the rest, and we can help that with all our experience and knowledge. Also, do not forget Atami's location is great - hot springs, the beach, and mountains - a perfect escape from chaos of big cities and feel good old Japan.</p><h3>What hopes do you have for the future of Japan Culinary Institute?</h3><p>Although we have started our school in Japan recently, we have experience in Italian culinary art school for 37 years - we hope that our school will grow to have hundreds of students like in Italy, and offer various experiences to both Japanese and people from outside Japan - and make our school something like a cultural learning and exchange spot for all!</p><h3>Are there any developments with the Japan Culinary Institute that you would like to share with us?</h3><p>We are now trying to expand our collaboration with more restaurants and chefs in Tokyo, too, so for people who prefer to take courses in Tokyo, we can provide courses in Tokyo, too.</p><h3>What makes the Japan Culinary Institute easy to market to potential participants?</h3><p>The goal of our organization is very clear, and our potential participants' goals are clear too - teach/learn authentic Japanese cuisine without language barrier - which makes it easy to market our courses.</p><h3>What is the Japan Culinary Institute's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?</h3><p>Our mission is to bring "authentic" Japanese cuisine to all over the world, and the best way to achieve it is by providing culinary training to people who are planning to work in Japanese food industry overseas.</p><figure class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/3-1584768006.jpg" alt="Student being certified at the end of the course"><figcaption class="caption"><p>Course Certificate Awarding at the end of the Course</p><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>What do you hope participants take away from the Japan Culinary Institute?</h3><p>I hope participants take away from home some Japanese cultural thoughts on how to serve food - to respect people and nature, and be aware of small changes that make big differences.</p><h3>How do you help support participants?</h3><p>I try to ask them many questions before starting the course, and also after arriving, so that we know what they need, and we can support that. We do not just sell "ready-made" "fit-for-all" programs, so it is important for us to know each other.</p><h3>If you could participate in one of the Japan Culinary Institute's programs, where would you go and what would you do?</h3><p>I would go on sushi training, especially fish factory training, I think no school will offer students to practice cutting fish for hours, hundreds of pieces a day.</p><h3>What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?</h3><p>They ask often about the exact schedule and program first, but we first need to know what their goals are and experiences, so that we can arrange a program good for them.</p><figure class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/4-1584768771.jpg" alt="two people inside of a Sake Brewery"><figcaption class="caption"><p>Visiting Sake Brewery</p><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?</h3><p>There are many things that you can know only when you are there - and food is not separated from the culture and context, so you cannot just learn how to cook Japanese cuisines without learning its culture.</p><h3>Why do you think learning a new language is important?</h3><p>Learning a new language helps to understand the culture more deeply, and know what people think is more important, and be more sensitive to what something means to one person means something different to another.</p><h3>What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?</h3><p>If you can do it, do it when you can do it! There are many others who wish they could, or did it when they could. Whatever you encounter will make you grow one way or another - but you can know only if you take one step forwards.</p><h3>What does meaningful travel mean to you?</h3><p>A meaningful trip teaches you something new, and expands the limit of your world. To get a new perspective on the world, the most effective way is to actually see the world from a different place.</p>


Sawako Hashimoto

Get to know the people behind Japan Culinary Institute! Check out this GoAbroad Staff Interview with Sawako Hashimoto.

Sawako Hashimoto | Japan Culinary Institute Staff Interview

Sawako Hashimoto - Japan Culinary Institute Staff

<Summer Courses 2026>
In JCI, we provide 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks courses throughout the Summer.
These courses are great for anyone seeking skills in specific area.

2026 Summer Courses:
[Most Popular Japanese Menu Course]
(1,2, and 4 weeks courses available)
In this course, you will learn the skills needed in Japanese cuisine.
The following contents are for the 4 weeks course:
- Basic Technique & Home Cooking (Washoku) 
- Ramen & Japanese Noodles
- Sushi & Fish Dishes
- Yakitori & Chicken Dishes
[Special: Kaiseki Summer Course]
(1 and 2 weeks courses available)
This course is for anyone seeking skills in Kaiseki Ryori. You will get to learn how to create your own Kaiseki using the seasonal ingredients.
[Ramen and Japanese Noodle Course]
( 1 and 2 weeks courses available)
This course is for anyone seeking skills in Ramen and other Japanese noodles, such as soba and udon.
[Yakitori and Chicken Dishes Course]
(1 and 2 weeks courses available)
This course is for anyone seeking skills in Yakitori and other Chicken dishes in Japan, such as Oyakodon.

JCI Summer Courses 2026

<Chef Training Course 2026>
This course is for people who wants to learn various Japanese traditional and modern washoku skills.
Some of the skills you can obtain in this course:
1. Traditional Japanese Cuisine
2. Home Cooking Menus
3. Sushi and fish dishes
4. Ramen and other Japanese noodles
5. Yakitori and other Japanese Chicken Dishes
We provide 7 and 11 weeks program for this course.

[The difference between 7 and 11 weeks course]
7 weeks:
 In 7 weeks, you will mainly learn the basics of the Japanese cuisine.
11 weeks:
 In 11 weeks, you will learn the basics and advanced skills of the Japanese cuisine.
 Lessons on Kaiseki Ryori is included in the 11 weeks course.

Chef Training Course 2026

Become a pro in Japanese cuisine in this two-month chef training course with an English interpreter! The curriculum encompasses extensive Japanese food culture, providing you knowledge of general culinary culture and ingredients as well as an understanding of Japanese culture. 

This is an ideal course if you want to work professionally in the field of Japanese cuisine. The program includes learning outside the school, including visits to a fish market, sake brewery, tea field, and more. Subjects are:

- Japanese Home Cooking
- Japanese Traditional Ingredients
- Japanese Confections and Green Tea
- Kaiseki (Full-course)
- Sushi
- Yakitori (Chicken barbeque)
- Noodles
- Party Dishes and Sake

You’ll participate in special lectures and extracurricular training sessions, helping deepen your knowledge of Japanese cuisine and its culture. We provide opportunities to experience and feel what you can do only in Japan. In turn, you’re able to add an edge to your dishes and the restaurant as a whole.

Japanese Cuisine Professional Chef Training

Learn kaiseki in JCI this year.

Kaiseki Ryori is a Japanese party course menu. 
There are two Kaiseki ryori in Japan: 会席 and 懐石 (both reads "Kaiseki").
会席料理 is usually matched with Japanese sake and is a full course menu for parties.
Meanwhile, 懐石料理 is a small meal at the tea party.
In JCI, you will learn to make 会席料理.

There is no specific menu for Kaiseki Ryori, so eventually, you will be able to make your original menu using your knowledge.
In Kaiseki Ryori, you use seasonal (= 旬 "Shunn") ingredients, so depending on the season you choose to take the class, the menu will completely change.

Kaiseki (会席料理)Course

This one-month course teaches you the menu of a sushi restaurant. After knowing the basics, you’ll gain the knowledge to actually open your own sushi shop. Plus, you’ll learn to choose ingredients in the fish market, go to a sake store, and undergo training outside school.

The curriculum tackles the following:
- How to sharpen a kitchen knife, explanation of the appliances
- How to choose the type of rice and fish
- How to make Vegetable Rice: Traditional and Trends, How to cut fish
- Preservation method of ingredients
- How to grasp sushi
- How to make soup and soup, other sushi restaurant fish dishes
- How to cook sushi shop courses
- Instrument, ready lessons
- Sushi bar sake, green tea lesson

Sushi Course in Japan

Chicken barbeque, or yakitori, is one of the commonly eaten food in Japan. It’s grilled on a bamboo skewer and enjoyed with other famous Japanese food, such as sushi. Yakitori is a popular option among customers who can’t eat raw food or fish.

For one week, you’ll master the general menu offered in a yakitori shop. After learning the basics, you can use your knowledge to open a yakitori shop. We’ll also visit the market where you’ll learn to shop for certain ingredients, tour a sake store, and undergo training outside the school. 

The curriculum also includes the following:
- How to sharpen a kitchen knife; explanation on the appliances
- How to choose the type of meat and vegetables
- How to handle meat
- Preservation method of ingredients
- Method of making; how to make sauces
- Types of charcoal; how to bake
- How to make a side menu
- How to organize the course
- Instrument, ready lessons
- Lessons in sake, green tea

Yakitori Course (Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers)

Japan Culinary Institute

Sales Sharks

The goal of the Japan Culinary Institute is to make Japanese cuisine (which is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) accessible to people around the world. Participants in these programs are provided with an English interpreter for all culinary lessons, small class sizes for a customizable learning experience, and the opportunity to learn from professional Japanese chefs!

You'll learn how cuisine is an important element of Japanese culture through professional-level courses for those looking to open Japanese restaurants or a course for non-professionals who want to learn about Japanese cuisine for their future business.

Discover how the intricate culinary techniques in Japanese cuisine are a creative mixture of food, art, nature, and people, and how the cuisine in Japan ...

The goal of the Japan Culinary Institute is to make Japanese cuisine (which is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) accessible to people around the world. Participants in these programs are provided with an English interpreter for all culinary lessons, small class sizes for a customizable learning experience, and the opportunity to learn from professional Japanese chefs!

You'll learn how cuisine is an important element of Japanese culture through professional-level courses for those looking to open Japanese restaurants or a course for non-professionals who want to learn about Japanese cuisine for their future business.

Discover how the intricate culinary techniques in Japanese cuisine are a creative mixture of food, art, nature, and people, and how the cuisine in Japan is a concept that encompasses all aspects of life, respect, gratitude, and thoughtfulness for others.

The goal of the Japan Culinary Institute is to make Japanese cuisine (which is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) accessible to people around the world. Participants in these programs are provided with an English interpreter for all culinary lessons, small class sizes for a customizable learning experience, and the opportunity to learn from professional Japanese chefs!

You'll le...

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