[Report] 1st Kusatsu Onsen Pizza-Making Experience Event

On September 16th, with the full support of Mr. Okada from Hotel Matsumi, we held our very first pizza-making experience event.

The participants included familiar faces from past coworking events, first-time attendees, and even families who joined together. With a total of 15 people, the event kicked off in a lively and cheerful atmosphere, blending both new and returning guests.

Kneading and stretching the delightfully chewy dough

The experience began with stretching the pizza dough.

First, everyone listened carefully to Chef Okada’s instructions on how to properly handle the dough. His tips included: don’t overwork the dough, use gravity to gently stretch it thin, and once the sauce is on, quickly add the toppings.

Even as they focused on the explanation, participants couldn’t help but be captivated by the smooth, glossy dough—delighted gasps and cheers filled the room.

Let’s Get Started: Hands-On Pizza-Making!

Once everyone had a good grasp of the steps, it was finally time to start making the pizzas.

Following the tips they had just learned, participants began stretching and shaping their dough with care and focus.

First up was a duo of elementary school brothers! Their dough came out perfectly thin and evenly shaped, impressing everyone. The adults who followed couldn’t help but feel the pressure—not wanting to be outdone, the energy in the room quickly ramped up!

Next up was a family participating all together!
With some help from Dad, the kids happily stretched and spread out their dough, enjoying every moment of the process.

Create your very own original pizza with your favorite toppings!

After stretching out the dough, it was time for the toppings.
For this event, everyone brought their own favorite ingredients to make a pizza that matched their personal taste.

From classic choices like corn, bacon, and green peppers,
to more unique options like quail eggs, broccoli, potatoes, and lotus root,
and even Japanese-style toppings like green onions, mushrooms, miso, and spicy cod roe—
the table was filled with a colorful and diverse array of ingredients.

If someone spotted an interesting topping they didn’t bring, they could negotiate a trade, ask for a little share, or offer some of their own in return. Everyone enjoyed the casual exchanges as they built their own original pizzas with a personal touch.

The pizzas are done—time to enjoy them together!

Once the toppings were on, it was finally time to bake.
We used the latest pizza oven, and it was amazingly fast!

Baking at 400 to 450 degrees Celsius, the pizzas were done in just about two minutes, filling the room with a delicious, toasty aroma.

Thanks to the tips Chef Okada shared, the crust puffed up beautifully, resulting in wonderfully chewy and fluffy pizzas!

When you make something delicious, you naturally want to share it with others.
Everyone sliced their pizzas with a pizza cutter and eagerly passed pieces around, saying, “Try mine!”

As they enjoyed the tasty pizzas, participants greeted those they were meeting for the first time, exchanged local tips and information, and the atmosphere quickly became lively and full of energy.

Among the participants this time, there were three elementary school children and one preschooler.

We heard some wonderful surprises from parents, like their kids happily eating green peppers—something they usually avoid! We also saw children kneading dough for a second pizza with the focused determination of professional chefs because one pizza just wasn’t enough. Some kids even asked for another pizza-making event next time.

It was truly heartwarming to see families making and enjoying pizzas together, creating a small but meaningful opportunity for food education—a vision Chef Okada and I had hoped to bring to life.

This coworking space event originally started for people who have moved to Kusatsu Town, but moving forward, we want to actively plan events that local children and their families can join and enjoy together.

To everyone who participated this time, thank you so much!
We will continue to improve the event operations and bring you new and exciting programs.

Stay tuned for the next one!

We appreciate your ongoing support! ^^