おうちごはん！(Ouchigohan) – Onigirazu & Kabocha no Nimono

おうちごはん！(Ouchigohan) 

Onigirazu and Kabocha no Nimono

(Rice Sandwiches & Seasoned Japanese Squash)

Japanese Home Cooking with Table for Two

in partnership with the Japan-America Societies of Boston, Alabama, Georgia, Houston, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington DC and USJETAA

Saturday, October 24, 2026

5:00 - 6:30 PM ET

$10 JSB/JS/JETAA Members / $15 Non-members

Hosted online via Zoom

(Ingredient list, recipe card, and Zoom link will be provided the week of the class)

Join hosts Table for Two and the Japan-America Society of North Carolina for a delicious taste of autumn as we celebrate Onigiri Action with a fun and flavorful Japanese home-cooking menu. Cook along or just watch from your own kitchen!

Onigiri Action is an annual global campaign that connects the simple Japanese tradition of making and sharing onigiri with the goal of supporting school meals for children around the world. During October, participants are encouraged to enjoy onigiri, share photos, and help turn a simple meal into an opportunity to make a difference.

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For this month’s Ouchigohan, we’re putting a modern twist on the classic onigiri with two delicious Onigirazu—a sandwich-style version of onigiri that is easy to make, fun to customize, and perfect for lunch or a light meal.

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Our first Onigirazu combines ham, cucumber, and egg for a colorful mix of savory, fresh, and satisfying flavors. Our second features shiitake mushrooms and spinach, bringing together the rich umami of mushrooms with fresh, earthy greens.

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To round out our fall menu, we’ll prepare Kabocha no Nimono, a comforting Japanese home-style dish featuring tender kabocha squash simmered in a savory-sweet soy-based broth. Naturally sweet, beautifully golden, and wonderfully comforting, kabocha is a perfect taste of the season.

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Come cook with us, discover new Japanese flavors, and celebrate the spirit of Onigiri Action—one delicious bite at a time!

Members of Japan America Societies/US JETAA can enter their society’s discount code at checkout for member pricing. Advance ticket purchase required. Only one registration per household need. 

(JSB Members: find the discount code on the JSB Member Portal!)

About the Instructor:

Debra Samuels leads the program content and curriculum development of TABLE FOR TWO USA’s Japanese inspired food education program, “Wa- Shokuiku -Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!”.

She was a food writer and contributor to the Food Section of The Boston Globe and has authored two cookbooks: “My Japanese Table,” and “The Korean Table.” She curated the exhibit, “Obento and Built Space: Japanese Boxed Lunch and Architecture,” at the Boston Architectural College (2015) and co-curated “Objects of Use and Beauty: Design and Craft in Japanese Culinary Tools,” at the Fuller Craft Museum (2018). Debra also worked as a program coordinator and an exhibition developer at the Japanese department of the Boston Children's Museum (1992-2000).

Debra has lived in Japan, all together, for 12 years and specializes in Japanese cuisine. She travels around the country and abroad teaching hands on workshops on obento, the Japanese lunchbox.