HIKONYAN sushi rolls trial lesson

Try your hand at making Hikonyan Maki, an adorable take on the iconic Japanese sushi roll. Are you familiar with Hikonyan, one of Japan's popular local mascots? According to a local legend, Ii Naotaka, the daimyo lord of Hikone, was beckoned by a calico cat while sheltering from a storm at Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. When Naotaka approached the cat, lightning struck the tree where he had been taking shelter. He made a large donation to Gotokuji Temple to express his gratitude for being saved from the lightning strike. That cat is the inspiration for Hikonyan, the local mascot of Hikone Castle in Hikone (Shiga Prefecture), which was the residence of the Ii clan. Now you can make a special sushi roll featuring Hikonyan wearing his distinctive Japanese samurai helmet. Please contact us if the dates do not suit you, if you would like us to visit you, or if you would like to make sushi rolls with a different design, such as a company logo or local mascot.