Jordan commemorates 70 years of diplomatic relations with Japan

AMMAN — Kurisu Junichi, the fourth-generation owner of the Michelin starred restaurant “Honke Tankuma” in Kyoto, Japan, was invited to Jordan to showcase his exceptional culinary skills and engage in cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The event was organised in collaboration with the Jordan Tourism Board, the Jordan Japan Friendship Association and the Japanese embassy of in Jordan, according to a statement for The Jordan Times.

Junichi’s visit featured a lecture and workshop at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA), facilitated by the Japan embassy. 

Future Jordanian chefs had the opportunity to learn about the essence of Japanese cuisine, especially the concept of “umami,” also called savoriness, a key element in Japanese cooking and one of the five basic tastes (along with sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness). 

Junichi also guided the students in preparing a Japanese-style Maqlouba, symbolising the fusion of Jordanian and Japanese culinary traditions by applying the concept of “umami.”

A notable cooking exchange was held at Iraq Amir, where local Jordanian women and the Japanese chefs collaborated, sharing culinary techniques and cultural insights rooted in their respective histories and traditions. 

This hands-on session fostered mutual understanding and respect, further enhancing cultural bonds between the two nations.

In addition to those culinary exchange programmes, an exclusive dinner event was held at Daimeh Eatery, featuring a collaborative menu crafted by both Japanese and Jordanian chefs. 

This event celebrated the "enduring friendship and trust" between Jordan and Japan. Japanese Ambassador Okuyama Jiro emphasised the spirit of collaboration through cuisine in his speech, which was only stressed as the chefs explained the menu.

This series of events marked a shared commitment to cultural exchange and boosting bilateral relations through the culinary arts, making a significant milestone in the seven decades of friendship between Japan and Jordan.