Private Imoni Culinary Experience, Yamagata City

The Hidden Japan runs a private imoni-kai (outdoor stew party) experience in Yamagata City for small groups, drawing on a communal-cooking tradition the region has practiced for generations along the Mamigasaki riverbank and in backyard settings. The session runs roughly two to three hours and takes place riverside or in a garden setting rather than in a restaurant kitchen, with participants gathered around a single large shared pot set over an open flame. A guide leads hands-on preparation of the stew's core ingredients, taro, Yonezawa beef, konnyaku and scallion, walking participants through the cutting and simmering process while explaining the difference between Yamagata's inland soy-based imoni and the Shonai coastal region's miso-based version. The single dish covered is imoni itself, served savory with rice and pickles rather than any sweet course. Included in the group price are all ingredients, cooking equipment, guide-led instruction and the finished meal; transportation to the cooking site and additional drinks are not included. Because the format is private and booked per group rather than joining strangers, dietary adjustments such as swapping the beef for a vegetable-forward version can often be arranged with advance notice. The riverside setting is weather-dependent, and September and October are the traditional peak months for imoni parties, when Yamagata families and groups gather for the same seasonal ritual.