"Explore Rice~: Hinamatsuri" (March 5, 2022)

     On Saturday, March 5, the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver and JET Alumni Association Rocky Mountain Chapter cohosted the “Explore Rice~: Hinamatsuri Eevent at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. Advance registration was required for this event, and it was very successful with over 100 participants. We offer our sincere gratitude to all parties involved.

     Mr. Chris Johnson, who came from New York, conducted a sake seminar. Afterwards, there was a sake tasting that included three types of sake from Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture and red shiso shochu from Kumamoto Prefecture. As a side note, Kumamoto Prefecture is the home of KUMAMON who visited Stanley Marketplace in 2019.
     Also, chirashizushi matched to the hinamatsuri tradition was served, in addition to takoyaki and ramen, and tempura made with rice flour as snacks to accompany the Sake tasting, as well as desserts for people and dogs made with rice flour by a famous American patissier. Especially in Colorado, people are very health-conscious and there is high demand for gluten-free ingredients, thus attracting significant interest in rice and rice flour.
     Furthermore, a photo-op area decorated with hina dolls and displays showcasing Shigaraki ware sake drinking sets and sake bottle kimono covers were set up within the event space.

     We believe this event made it possible for participants to enjoy various aspects of Japanese culture such as Japanese rice, rice flour, sake, and hinamatsuri, and we hope Japanese cuisine and food culture will continue to be further promoted and popularized in Colorado and the U.S.

     Additionally, “Explore Rice~: Hinamatsuri Eis the third dog-friendly event to be held. Dogs and owners were introduced to the uses of rice by being able to experience gluten-free rice flour. Dogs were treated to a tri-color diamond-shaped cake and treats made with rice flour, and The Hartz Mountain Corporation provided dog treats and toys that were distributed to the participants. We also offer our appreciation to Stanley Marketplace for setting up a play area for the dogs.