Cookpad workshop inspiring “Housework Equality” among Japanese schoolboys

When it comes to contributing to household chores, Japanese men don’t come across well statistically. They spend only 25 minutes a day on housework, according to a survey released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Out of the 28 countries that participated in this survey, Japan came in third from the last.

While the Japanese government attempts to promote gender equality in society, it is also time to narrow the housework gender gap. With this idea in mind, Cookpad, a food tech company best known for its eponymous cooking website, hosted a workshop event called SDGs Cooking Innovation Lab on November 23, 2019. At this one-day event, Cookpad invited 30 students from two boys’ schools in Tokyo and Shizuoka: Seigakuin Junior & Senior High School and Shizuoka Seiko Gakuin.

Following the opening remarks by Cookpad staff, the boys were divided into groups and tasked with creating original meals. They had to depend solely on their creativity and teamwork due to a strict “cook without recipes” rule. Despite some initial uncertainty, each team successfully came up with a few dishes based on their original concepts, using fresh vegetables grown in their school gardens.

Cooking can be an intimidating thing if you are new to the experience. Preparing all the ingredients, measuring seasonings and setting the right temperatures may seem like hurdles to be overcome. However, you can turn your anxiety around by cooking something you like, working together and sharing the meal with friends.

The cooking session was followed by a presentation about gender inequality in household work. This workshop was designed to give students new insights about how Japanese men contribute less at home compared to men from other countries.

The final program of the day was a communication-based workshop using LEGO® blocks. The students built original Lego brick models they came up with in response to a discussion topic “what kind of world can motivate men to cook more often.” Later on, they told stories about their models in small groups and put together their thoughts. The visualization of their ideas led to a free and honest sharing of opinions within each group, from the application of AI in cooking to building a food theme park.

The expectation of men’s contribution to housework has been growing as more women are going back to work even after major life events such as having children. It is essential to nurture positive attitudes towards active male participation in domestic chores so that these schoolboys learn to be equal housework sharers, not assistants. By providing them a learning opportunity to stop and think about women and men’s roles, these boys can become the driving force of the next generation.