Ideas for a Japanese Themed Party
It almost goes without saying that Japanese culture is very different from those of the West, and Japanese celebrations are often based on centuries of tradition. Even serving tea
can be a very ceremonial process. Rather than delving too far into the intricacies of Japanese tradition and culture, we're looking here for some simple ideas that can be adapted for use
at home, to help you
throw a Japanese themed football party.
While the obvious food choice for many might be sushi, there are many in the west who are put off by the thought of raw fish, and Japanese cuisine has much more to offer (see below).
To create an authentic Japanese party atmosphere, have some
Traditional Japanese Music
playing in the background (not during the game though!).
Japanese Party Decorations
Decorate yourself and your room with Japan shirts, flags and scarves (see links, right).
If you're serving food, search for red, blue and white table covers, napkins, plates, cups and
cutlery on our general
Football Party Decorations Page
For bunting, flags, balloons and more
Japan Party Decorations Ideas,
visit our
Asian Football Party Decorations Page
As for other party decorations, in addition to the above ideas, anything else you can find in red, white and blue will help create the right atmosphere. As well as
anything with the Japanese flag on, paper decorations are popular, especially fans, paper parasols, and paper lanterns.
Food for a Japan Themed Party
Japanese food has evolved over centuries of traditions, and more recently has also blended in a few influences from China, Korea and the West. Being an island culture, seafood of many
types is very popular in Japan, and meat dishes have only started to become popular relatively recently.
Noodles and rice are the main staples. Japanese rice is of the short grain, sticky type. There are many types of Japanese noodles, the main ones being Soba, which are thin
noodles made of buckwheat, and Udon, which are thicker wheat noodles. A traditional Japanese meal consists of a bowl of soup, a bowl of rice, some pickles and 2-3 "side dishes"
- which could be fish, meat, vegetables or tofu, and may be raw, grilled, boiled, steamed or deep-fried - all served together.
We have therefore included a recipe for a classic vegetable miso soup. This contains a number of ingredients that you will have to search out in a specialist Asian grocers, but without
soup, it's not really a proper tradiational Japanese meal. On the other hand, you don't have to stick to traditions - it's your party!
We haven't gone mad on hundreds of different sushi recipes, but we have included a recipe for Chirashizushi, which is known as "Scattered Sushi"
and is served in bowls with colourful toppings. It's the sushi of choice at parties, so it's ideal if you're throwing a Japanese football party!
Vegetable miso soup
Chirashizushi - "Scattered Sushi"
Chicken Yakitori - Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Cucumber & Avocado Sushi
Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl - Oyakodon
Tempura - Deep Fried Prawns & Vegetables in Batter
Drink for a Japan Themed Party
Japanese green tea is one non-alcoholic option for drinks. You could go all the way and learn the full tea-serving ceremony, but it is extremely complex and full
of cultural references which may be lost on many westerners, so you may prefer to simply serve your guests the tea without the ceremony!
For more alcoholic options, you could simply find some Japanese beers such as Kirin or Asahi, or you could serve sake, which is made from fermented rice.
Sake is stronger in its alcohol content than most wines, but not as strong as whisky, for example. It is often warmed before being served in small cups, but good quality sake can be
served at room temperature, or chilled. Indeed, many sake experts feel that good quality sake should always be served chilled in order to enjoy the subtleties of its flavours, and only cheaper
brands should be warmed. There are one or two sake cocktails, for those who don't enjoy the flavour of the drink on its own.
Theming your party
Buy
mood music for a Japanese Party from Amazon:
Japanese Music
Find more Japanese recipes in the book
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
