Get ready to kanpai! The third annual Irasshai: Eat, Drink, Kanpai! event by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi is coming April 4. The event — held from 6 to 9 p.m. — is at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi and features two levels of street food-inspired tasting stating, along with local entertainment and refreshing beverages. Tickets are available for individuals ages 21 years and older; general admission costs $180, while JCCH members cost $155.
Irasshai is inspired by Japan’s street festivals, and the event was created three years ago, according to Beth Iwata, vice president of development and marketing at Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi.
“The event was created as a new concept to attract people to our campus and raise awareness of our efforts to serve the community,” Iwata says. “In its third year, Irasshai will feature 14 tasting stations, showcasing local eateries, including newcomers Little Plum, Please Come Again, ABURIYA IBUSHI, and Vintage Books. To enhance the comfort of our guests, we have increased open-seating arrangements in covered areas.”
Get ready to feast on dishes like:
- ABURIYA IBUSHI: flame-seared beef skirt steak, Maui onion sauce and local vegetables
- C4 Table by Colin Hazama: smoky torched ono with roasted maitake mushrooms, Yama sweet potato silk puree, Sumida Farms watercress, black garlic, and kuro goma tare
- Hy’s Steak House: beef rice balls
- Little Plum: Kalua pig yakimusubi with charred cabbage and kiawe-smoked shoyu; miso eggplant yakimusubi with miso glaze and Japanese eggplant
- Niu Soft Serve Parlour: hot kūlolo sundae with coconut-based soft serve, kūlolo and toasted macadamia nuts
- Onda Pasta & Provisions: gyoza alla Norma (vegetarian option) with fresh pasta, roasted eggplant, ricotta salata and pomodoro
- Peace Café: Aloha Ramen (vegan option) with vegan broth, assorted vegetables, ginger and garlic
- Please Come Again: miso salted caramel, shiso mint chip and hojicha cream ice creams
- Splash Bar: ebi slider with okonomiyaki waffle fries
- Tiki’s Grill & Bar x Vintage Books collab: mini oden (enriched dashi, shrimp dango, ajitama, assorted veggies, dengaku miso, koge rice) and matcha orange crème brulee (tangerine and turbinado sugar)
Attendees can also look forward to a silent auction that features local designers, artists and activities, along with a Tokyo travel package giveaway. Meanwhile, entertainment will feature performances by Taiko Center of the Pacific and artists Ohtoro and Kelsea Armstrong.
“We hope that Irasshai will provide guests with a welcoming experience that deepens their appreciation of Hawaiʻi’s culinary scene and cultural diversity,” Iwata says. “Throughout the evening, we will showcase our nonprofit’s mission and how we engage thousands of people annually through cultural workshops, historical archives, and educational resources related to the Japanese American experience in Hawaiʻi.”
For updates and tickets, visit jcchawaii.org.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
