News in Easy English: Tokyo seniors have fun at day care cooking classes
TOKYO -- In Tokyo, some special day care centers give cooking classes to seniors. One of these places is called "Nanairo Cooking Studio." There are four centers like this in Tokyo. The center in Jiyugaoka looks like a cafe. It is clean and stylish, and it is safe for seniors to move around.
In one cooking class, seniors made five different dishes such as fish hamburgers, chicken with edamame beans, rice with seafood, potato soup, and salad. Everyone enjoyed cooking together. Some seniors could even cook while sitting in wheelchairs.
Midori Tai, 92, chopped vegetables quickly. She said, "My husband had a restaurant. I learned cooking from watching him."
Misako Mori, 88, was happy cooking many kinds of food. She said, "At home, I make simple food. Here, there are many things to cook. It's fun."
Noriko Kageyama, 85, uses a wheelchair. She said, "I can cook even when sitting. I have a good time cooking and laughing with others."
Seniors feel proud because real chefs teach them cooking. Preparing food also helps seniors' bodies and minds to stay healthy. The recipes have extra steps to help seniors practice cooking skills.
After class, seniors can take food home for dinner or share with their families.
Nanairo Cooking Studio opened its first center in 2015. Staff member Misako Kaminaga said, "Cooking helps seniors enjoy their day. They can be active, learn new things, and feel happy making something good."
(Japanese original by Reiko Noguchi, Digital News Group)
Vocabulary
seniors: older people
stylish: looking nice
wheelchair: a special chair with wheels used by people who can't walk
proud: happy about something you do well
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