The Japanese Student Association invites students to attend our onigiri picnic at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, in front of Old Main.

Like in the United States, picnics in Japan are not uncommon. Though they typically happen during a period called "Hanami" (the celebration of the coming of spring), picnics are a time for friends and family to gather under the trees and experience the beauty of nature.

Of course, what is a picnic without food? The Japanese picnic can consist of several foods such as tamagoyaki, inarizushi, takoyaki and several other dishes. Among these dishes is onigiri, a Japanese snack item that is popular for being easy to make and capable of having many different fillings. Onigiri (rice ball) is made from shaping white rice, wrapping it in nori (seaweed) and optionally filling it with things such as salmon, tuna and kombu.

The culture of American versus Japanese picnics is quite different, and there are many do's and don'ts for both. Therefore, we in JSA would like to offer to the students at the U of A a taste of what a Japanese picnic is like by not only offering onigiri made by members of the JSA, but also giving a presentation on how to make onigiri as well as some cultural do's and don'ts. We hope that our picnic will give students some insight into overall Japanese culture and hopefully interest them in exploring the culture further.

This event is supported by the Student Activities Fee as a funded event by the Associated Student Government and is free to all currently enrolled University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, students who pay the student activities fee. This event is held in a venue that meets ADA standards. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend this event. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this event, please join JSA Group Me or follow JSA Instagram or contact Aira Nagatsuka, airan@uark.edu or call 479-575-5255 by five business days prior to the event.