Freelance Announcer Aika Kanda: Struggling with Cooking is Tough. Japan’s Fastest Halloween Party!

The most spirited “Halloween party” of the year

In mid-September, I hosted a Halloween party at my home. It’s an annual event that I put the most effort into throughout the year. The reason is the members who participate. Along with regulars like Kayoko Okubo, Akira Tsuchida, and Eiji Kotoge, this year we had Eiichi Shibata from Untouchable and Yu Sawa from Haraiti. It’s a battle for the Himura family—whether or not we can make it a party they’ll genuinely enjoy.

To cut to the chase, it was a huge success. Everyone left with smiles, and later talked about how much fun it was on their radio shows. My husband and I listened to their praises, sat up a little straighter, and exchanged, “That’s great, isn’t it?” But getting to that point wasn’t easy.

This year, the main dish was okonomiyaki. I wanted to choose something I could make even though I’m not good at cooking, so I decided on a menu that could be cooked on a hot plate. The problem, though, is that I had never made okonomiyaki before. My husband told me, “Just mix okonomiyaki flour with cabbage, squid, shrimp, and tenkasu (tempura crumbs) cut into bite-sized pieces.”

The day before, I went shopping. First, shrimp. I picked up some frozen shrimp that had already been shelled, but then I thought, “Wait a minute, these shrimp are big. Will they become tough and slippery if I cut them? Will they get soggy after being thawed?” I asked the store staff, and they recommended boiled shrimp, so I went with that option.

Next, squid. Right next to the boiled shrimp were boiled squid, but I didn’t recognize the type of squid. As I searched around, I found one labeled “Yari ika” (spear squid). I knew that one! But it was still in its whole form. I couldn’t handle that so I asked a staff member, “Can I use that boiled squid for okonomiyaki?” They replied, “Yes, it’s softer than the spear squid.” Following their advice, I added it to my basket.

Then, it was time for tenkasu. I was surprised by the variety. There were options with squid tempura, shrimp tempura, and just regular tenkasu. After pondering for a while, I decided against the shrimp-flavored one because it seemed a bit overpowering. I didn’t want my guests to think, “Did the Himura family scrimp on the party?” So, I chose the slightly pricier option with squid tempura, which was less bold in flavor but still noticeable.

Finally, okonomiyaki flour. The sheer number of options threw me off. My husband had told me that adding yam would make it fluffy, so I reached for the “yam flour,” but then I wondered, “Does powdered yam really turn fluffy again?” Unsure, I decided against it. Instead, I opted for simple flour and planned to grate fresh yam. The back of the package listed a recipe for two servings, but with seven guests and extra servings in mind, I bought five bags.