Nagomi Visit 和みヴィジット
Dining at home
Discovering the local cuisine through cultural exchange with the Japanese? It's possible with Nagomi Visit, which organizes meals with local people. But not just anywhere: at home.
For four years, Nagomi Visit has been organizing encounters bringing together Japanese and foreigner visitors. The idea came from Megumi Kusunoki, the founder of the company. Her concept: uchigohan, the meal at home.
Lunch or dinner, alone, with family or friends, anything is possible. Hosts pick up their guests at the nearest station, and there's the opportunity to move away from the city center and tourist areas to discover another facet of a more intimate Japan. Just like at home, hosts and guests sometimes need to make a stop at a konbini to find an ingredient!
Good food and conversation
Over a drink and a table full of food, you can chat and share stories. The language barrier fades, the as hosts selected by Nagomi Visit speak English and Japanese. Vegetarians and vegans are also welcome, and for gourmet cooks, the association also offers cookery courses at home. Under the leadership of two cooks, the trainee chefs learn to prepare chirashizushi, or kyaraben.
Present in much of Japan, the association is concentrated in Kanto and mainly in Tokyo, where it was created. In March 2014, Nagomi Visit already had 140 hosts in Japan, for 800 guests from over 40 countries.