There’s nothing better than kicking back with a nice bottle of wine with your nearest and dearest friends and enjoying slightly sinful finger foods and tasty treats, all in the comfort of your own home. Home gatherings are the perfect way to catch up, share laughs and unwind, and a welcome escape from pandemic doom and gloom. For those of you with children, it can be a great chance for the kids and adults to enjoy a leisurely meal together, no matter the occasion.
Although Japan didn’t have to endure Covid lockdowns in the same way as other parts of the world, the pandemic still left many people feeling isolated from friends and family. For expats living far from home, this feeling can sometimes be amplified. With many restaurants and bars in Japan still requiring masks and other Covid prevention methods, it can feel hard to fully relax and socialize. A good old fashioned home gathering offers the ultimate solution to all these issues, and with the following fun tips for hosting, there’s no need to stress over the party prep or planning either. Read on for seven handy hints on hosting the best home gathering.
Make a list of who you have invited, split into the number of adults and number of children. Confirm RSVPs two weeks before the event, then send a further reminder one week before the gathering. If you are planning to split the food costs, be sure to specify the exact amount at the same time you send out the invitation to help avoid any disputes cropping up at a later time. If you are planning a potluck, work out the details beforehand so everybody knows what to bring. If someone new is coming into an existing group, don’t assume they are telepathic about party prep, make sure they can fit it with the group. Perhaps most importantly, don’t forget to confirm if there is anyone attending who has food allergies or intolerances.
If your home gathering is for a certain occasion such as a birthday or Christmas, set your table with decorations accordingly, but if there is no particular theme set, why not create your own? A seasonal table spread for spring, summer, fall or winter always works well, or you could try color themes such as “blue” or “monotone”. If you can decide on a certain theme, it will give you better direction for party planning.
To make the food really stand out, pick dark colored plates over white ones. If you are having Japanese guests over, it could be fun to use plates and pottery from their home region of Japan, or likewise for foreign guests you could use plates with patterns or designs representative of their country.
Make sure your toilet and entranceway are sparkly clean, and consider decorating them with tasteful flowers or details that will enhance your dinner guest’s experiences.
If you have children, consider getting them involved with the party planning. Use their strengths or interests to create responsibilities which will help them feel included and special.
For kids who like drawing, have them take part in something creative, like making hand drawn invitations for party guests. For children who are interested in cooking, have them prepare and chop vegetables and other ingredients and let them set the table. For those who like flowers, explain the home party theme to them and have them use their imagination to arrange flowers for the table or entranceway. For kids who love YouTube, get them to pick the entertainment in the form of background music, or if other kids are also attending, a movie that they can all watch together.
For younger children, their jobs could be as simple as arranging the shoes in a neat line in the entranceway as guests come in. For picky eaters, planning the menu together and using their favorite ingredients in a dish may help them feel more encouraged to eat.
Recently, more and more young people are moving away from alcohol and enjoying the healthy taste of mocktails, so why not make a few? Mocktails of course come with the added benefit that children, pregnant people and designated drivers don’t miss out on the party fun. Try these yummy recipes and impress your guests with your mocktail mastery.
Just mix orange juice with ginger ale at a ratio of 1:1 and you’re sorted! The bright color and fruity taste of this simple mocktail is perfect for kids or those with a sweet tooth.
Put mint and sugar in a glass and mix with a cocktail stirrer. Pour sparkling water over the mixture for a sharp and refreshing beverage. Add a squeeze of lime to turn this mocktail into a dazzling mojito style drink. You can also swap sugar and sparkling water for tonic water.
Tear fresh basil leaves into small pieces and mix into tomato juice. Add sparkling water and decorate with a basil leaf for a rich Bloody Mary-style mocktail.
Don’t just stick to plain old soft drinks – get creative with your own mocktails and spice the party up!
Temaki Sushi, or hand-rolled sushi, is a firm favorite at Japanese home gatherings, as each person can help themselves and create a wrap loaded with whichever fillings they like. The perfect dish for picky eaters or people with allergies or intolerances, temaki Sushi is enjoyed by children and adults alike, and is easy to make. Simply prepare a platter of sushi rice, nori seaweed sheets and various fillings cut into strips, such as sashimi grade fish, and veggies like cucumber, avocado, corn, lettuce and shiso leaves. You can even include cooked ingredients like shrimp tempura, grilled unagi (eel), fried chicken, and Japanese omelet.
If you are aiming to impress, try making the sushi rice from scratch with aka-su, or red vinegar, rather than store-bought sushi vinegar. This additive free, luxury vinegar is fermented over a long period of time, which creates depth and flavor to complement the sour vinegar taste. Check the label to make sure it has no added ingredients as pure red vinegar generates completely different flavor profile which is guaranteed to wow your guests. For added texture, experiment with adding sesame seeds, barley, thinly cut myoga ginger or cucumber to your sushi rice.
Temaki Sushi looks great spread out on a platter for a standing buffet. To help younger kids, you could also provide squares of saran wrap to place the ingredients on top of and shape the wraps with, to prevent any overly messy hands.
For those of you who don’t fancy going to work in the kitchen or have little time to fret over ingredients, seasonings and oven temperatures, an ordering out party may provide the perfect solution. In summer, try ready-made barbecue kits, and in winter, hotpot sets. If you still want to try something handmade but don’t have the time to prepare, try ordering a pizza base then create your own toppings. Seafood toppings can turn a simple pizza into a luxurious dish. Recently there are also plenty of high-quality gourmet order out options including butter sauté, grilled dishes and acqua pazza, all flash frozen to lock in flavor and taste. For home gatherings with a lot of people, a whole chicken or block of beef seasoned with simple salt, pepper and herbs and grilled in the oven can make for an easy and impressive main dish.
As part of the furusato nozei hometown tax scheme in Japan, it is also possible to receive various regional gourmet dishes by mail in return for monetary donations to a town or prefecture that can be then used for a tax deduction. Enjoy browsing through the website to choose a tasty main dish for your home gathering.
If after reading all these tips, you are left feeling overwhelmed with how much preparation there is to be done for a home gathering, fear not! Kurashinity’s home party service can give you essential help where you need it, from cleaning before, help with setting, and of course the dreaded post-party tidy up.
Kurashinity is a housekeeping agency ran by Pasona, a leading human resources enterprise in Japan. Their fluent English-speaking, professional housekeepers all undergo strict hospitality training to help you have an unforgettable home party experience that both you and your family and friends will enjoy.
Leave everything in our safe hands and enjoy making precious memories with your nearest and dearest while we do the work for you at your wonderful home gathering, here in Japan.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Jessica is a writer and translator now living happily by the sea just south of Tokyo in Kamakura, Japan.
