On Sunday, October 27, 2024, the 49th Cooking Challenge（料理交歓会） was held at Nakamura Gakuen University, co-hosted by Dazaifu Tenmangu and the Kyushu University Foreign Student Association (KUFSA).
Dazaifu Tenmangu, a historic shrine in Fukuoka dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the “god of scholarship,” has long supported KUFSA’s activities. The Cooking Challenge（料理交歓会） is an intercultural event where international students from Kyushu University team up with representatives from Dazaifu Tenmangu and Japanese students from Nakamura Gakuen University to cook dishes from their home countries, fostering cross-cultural exchange. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event had been postponed for several years but made a much-anticipated return this year after a five-year hiatus.
Participants included various international student associations, such as KUFSA, the Taiwanese Student Association, Vietnam Youth and Student Association in Fukuoka and the Kyushu University African Association, with students from diverse nations and regions showcasing the rich culinary traditions of their respective homelands. Representatives from Dazaifu Tenmangu offered traditional Japanese dishes, including the locally popular Umegae-mochi, a specialty of Fukuoka, along with other Japanese delicacies.
During the award ceremony, each group’s culinary creations were outstanding, making it difficult to determine winners. In a last-minute decision, the selection was made by lottery, and commemorative prizes sponsored by local Fukuoka businesses were presented to the winning groups. Additionally, all groups received souvenirs related to Fukuoka’s food culture. This gathering left the participating international students with memorable experiences that added a unique touch to their lives as students in Japan.
