Uchioko Project Executive Committee (Location: Naka-ku, Hiroshima City; Chairman: Toru Mishima) was established on May 1, 2020 to support “Okonomiyaki” restaurants in Hiroshima City that are struggling due to the impact of the spread of COVID-19. On March 25 (Thurs.), 2021, we are launching our “Uchioko Project,” which provides support by distributing free takeout containers for Okonomiyaki dishes. We have been working to develop these containers since the establishment of our Committee.
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Background to the project launch
With people avoiding going out due to the spread of COVID-19, all of Hiroshima’s Okonomiyaki restaurants are continuing to suffer a serious negative impact. As Hiroshima Prefecture residents, we are used to enjoying a meal with friends and family sitting around an iron plate, but now this everyday scene which we took for granted is changing.
Even in this situation, each Okonomiyaki restaurant has come up with inventive ideas, such as focusing on takeout and delivery services, in an effort to get through these difficult times. We wondered if we could take something positive out of this crisis and find a way to protect our local specialty “Okonomiyaki,” an iconic dish in Hiroshima’s food culture. So after talking with many Okonomiyaki restaurant owners and staff, we realized that takeout containers would be a great step to support restaurants.
With the goal of many restaurants providing highly delicious Okonomiyaki dishes to eat at home, we focused our efforts on “Uchioko Project” to provide support through takeout containers. In this way, we aim to protect Hiroshima’s Okonomiyaki culture and contribute to the promotion of regional development.
Also, with the current push toward “Plastic Free” around the world, we took on the challenge of “creating Okonomiyaki takeout containers made of paper materials.” We produced 50,000 “Uchioko BOXES,” specially designed for Okonomiyaki dishes, and distributed them to all Okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima City that supported this project.
Through these activities, we are aiming to contribute even a little to improved Okonomiyaki restaurant sales, as well as helping to establish a new and eco-friendly style of Okonomiyaki takeout culture for Hiroshima residents.
In addition, we have launched a special website featuring “Uchioko MAP” linked to an online map system to make it easier to find restaurants, and we also created a perfect easy-to-order environment.
Special website: https://uchioko.jp/
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