The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) and Guam Community College (GCC) is pleased to have hosted the third year of a special culinary exchange program, bringing the champions of Japan’s national Umaimon Koshien competition to Guam. Students and faculty from Hirosaki Vocational High School, winners of the prestigious competition, participated in a cultural and culinary exchange with the GCC Culinary Arts and Hospitality and Tourism programs on Wednesday, March 11th, sharing recipes, cultural insights, and more.
The Umaimon Koshien is a highly respected national culinary competition in Japan where students from agricultural, fisheries, and culinary programs develop original dishes using local ingredients. The program is designed to promote regional food culture, support young culinary talent, and highlight the importance of local food production. Teams compete by developing unique dishes that showcase their hometown traditions and specialties.
This year, the Hirosaki Vocational High School won the Umaimon Koshien championship for the second consecutive year, defeating 264 teams nationwide in Japan.
The winning student team— Miss Aoi Kamada, Miss Hina Nagai, and Miss Kotoko Niwa—is on island from March 9 to March 12 for a 4-day, 3-night program that includes island sightseeing and the main culinary exchange event, which took place at the newly renovated GCC Culinary Arts and Baking Center in Mangilao on Wednesday.
The culinary exchange provided a unique platform for students from both schools to share culinary techniques, traditions, and local specialties. Commencing at 9:00 AM on Wednesday with a warm welcome by GVB and GCC leadership, the event engaged the students in Cultural Exchange Sessions, where together they prepared the Japan team’s winning Umaimon Koshien dish, the “Jawamegu Sushiko Parfait,” and the GCC team’s traditional CHamoru fiesta food.
The students were able to taste and enjoy each other’s culinary creations and share them with all who attended. Japan Consul General Susumu Ueda and his wife, Ritsuka, attended the exchange along with the Consulate’s official Chef Koji Tanimoto, who attended as a guest and assisted alongside the students in the cooking exchange. The event concluded with a certificate presentation by GVB and GCC to all participants with a group photo to commemorate the occasion.
“This culinary exchange is a wonderful opportunity to bridge our cultures through the universal language of food,” said GVB Acting President & CEO Frank Arriola. “We are excited to host Japan’s rising culinary stars and look forward to them sharing their award-winning dish, just as we are proud for the GCC students to showcase the rich flavors of traditional CHamoru cuisine.”
“This collaboration reflects GCC’s commitment to global learning, workforce development, and preparing our students for careers in Guam’s vital tourism and hospitality industry,” said Dr. Virginia C. Tudela, Ph. D., GCC Interim President. “By connecting with international partners and engaging in meaningful cultural exchange, our students gain valuable experiences that will shape them into the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals.”
GVB and GCC are proud to have collaborated on this successful culinary exchange with Japan’s Umaimon Koshien for the third year in a row and look forward to future events promoting Guam’s unique culture and cuisine.
