The Consulate General of Japan in Barcelona will take part in the 11th Alicante Hall of Manga and Japanese Culture, presenting a lively program that showcases the richness of Japanese gastronomy. The event is organized by the Alicantina Fair on April 15 and 16. Chef and popularizer Kyoko Matsuo will lead a live demonstration and two hands on workshops centered around kyaben, a playful way to pack lunch boxes with foods shaped into beloved characters. The Consul General of Japan in Barcelona, Yasushi Sato, will also give an interview to share diplomatic experiences linked to cuisine through media channels. The conversations promise insights into cultural exchange and the role food plays in diplomacy.
During Matsuo’s demonstrations attendees will gain insights into traditional practices for preparing bento lunch boxes, a longstanding Japanese habit. The sessions offer practical ideas for packing meals to take away, while the workshops invite participants to craft cheerful kyaben, also known as character bento, a trend that continues to grow in Japan and beyond.
Cosplay, anime, video games, concerts… Manga and the Japanese Hall of Culture return to Alicante!
The speech by Consul Sato will reveal personal experiences with a variety of Japanese dishes through his published writings and social media posts that detail recipes such as curry rice and karaage. The coverage highlights how food storytelling can illuminate diplomatic ties and cultural dialogue.
Kyoko Matsuo
The chef has worked in restaurants in Japan and Australia, gaining seven years of experience starting in 2002. She earned her cooking license in Japan in 2004 and subsequently trained in Navarre. Since 2018 she has been a Japanese cooking teacher, notably at the Popular University of Logroño. In 2022 she became a cooking surface ambassador in Japan, and at the start of December that year Cookpad hosted an online Japanese cooking class at Spain’s Alicante headquarters.
In addition, from 2007 to the present she volunteers at shelters in Los Arcos, Villatuerta and Lorca along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. There she teaches calligraphy and origami at workshops on Japanese culture in Navarra and La Rioja.
workshops
Workshop Makkurokurosuke in Obento. Dates and times: Saturday, April 15, 19:00-20:00 and Sunday, April 16, 13:00–14:00.
Venue: Alicante Fair Authority, Uke-Mochi Gastronomy Class
Workshop Obento and kyaben: the culture of nourishing the body and spirit
Date and time: Sunday, April 16, 11:30-12:30
Venue: Alicante Fair Institution, Tanuki Stage
Chat Cook with Japan’s Consul General in Barcelona, Mr. Yasushi Sato
Date and time: Sunday, April 16, 16:00-17:00.
Venue: Alicante Fair Institution, Tanuki Stage