A huge part of the reason why so many love traveling to Japan is because of its cuisine. Japanese food is hugely popular around the world; you’d be hard-pressed to find a country that doesn’t have a Japanese restaurant adored by all the locals!
It’s one thing to visit Japan to eat its traditional foods first-hand, but it’s another to learn how to master the art of cooking Japanese dishes. Cooking itself is a highly admirable skill, but combine that with knowledge and experience in cooking Japanese food in particular, and you’ll find yourself with crowds of people wanting to dine in your kitchen!
Cooking classes in Tokyo are a great way to learn a new skill, but it’s also a fantastic way to experience Japan like never before.
Learn skills from passionate and experienced locals, expose yourself to local products, and make memories that you won’t be able to make anywhere else in the world.
Let us help you decide which classes to take! We’ve listed below the 10 best cooking classes in Tokyo that you should definitely join if you’re visiting in 2023!
Asakusa is well known for its stunning Sensoji Temple and bustling Nakamise Street. It’s also home to one of the most fun and exciting classes to learn how to make traditional Japanese ramen and gyoza!
Ramen is a quintessential part of Japanese cuisine, and you’ll find that many regions will have their versions as you travel through Japan. Nothing tastes as good as settling down for a steaming bowl of hot ramen after a full day of exploring.
And what’s better than a fresh bowl of ramen? A fresh bowl of ramen with a delicious side of freshly pan-fried gyozas!
In this wonderful 2-hour cooking class, you will learn how to make ramen from scratch as well as how to roll and fold the most perfect little gyoza dumplings. The Japanese cooking instructor will be with you every step of the way, ensuring you learn the recipes and skills as well as any tips and tricks.
Bring home the best Japanese souvenir – your new cooking expertise!
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If you’ve travelled to Kyoto before, chances are, you’ve indulged in some delicious traditional Japanese sweets, i.e. wagashi. Wagashi is the name given to simple yet sophisticated traditional Japanese sweets made from plant-based ingredients.
Commonly associated with Japanese tea ceremonies, wagashi can come in many different shapes and forms, however, they’re always seasonally appropriate, beautifully crafted, and delicious to eat.
Mochi is yet another Japanese staple that’s always a treat to eat. It’s a rice cake that’s soft and chewy, often with fillings such as sweet azuki red bean.
Japanese wagashi is considered one of the most culturally significant Japanese foods, and the skills and craftsmanship required to make it is no joke!
This class will take you on a delicious journey to learn how to make your wagashi and mochi by mixing the dough, shaping them, decorating them using traditional tools, and then enjoying them with complimentary matcha!
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You can find more similar experiences in our article about the 8 best Wagashi making classes in Tokyo!
Kaiseki is one of the most traditional ways that you can dine on Japanese cuisine. Kaiseki, or kaiseki ryori, refers to a multi-course meal, eaten in a banquet style, using only the freshest seasonal ingredients.
The Japanese have mastered the art of harmonizing local produce with ancient cooking styles to create an amazing array of dishes that appease almost all palates.
If you’re a massive food lover or foodie, this is a great class to learn what makes a traditional Japanese meal and how to recreate the same magic back home.
The menu changes every season, depending on the produce available, but you can bet you’ll only be using the best quality ingredients. All dietary requirements can be accommodated, and the class is taught in English so you can rest easy knowing you’ll be able to understand the teacher perfectly!
As the menu does change seasonally, this is a class that you can continue taking over and over because it’ll be teaching you something different every time!
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One of the most incredible things about eating in Tokyo is that most restaurants will have a visual display of their food at the front of their restaurant. This makes it easy to decide where you want to eat because you won’t be left confused about what a dish is – they literally show you the dish!
This phenomenon in Japan is affectionately called ‘sampuru’, or sample. They are effectively fake food models that look almost hyper realistic and are usually displayed before restaurants to show customers a taste of what they could be ordering.
They’re always quite a treat to see, and in this food sample-making workshop, you can try your hand at making them yourself!
During this workshop, a friendly and knowledgeable teacher will take you through the steps of making your own sampuru. There is a range of different dishes you can choose from, including fruit tarts, ramen bowls, and even delicious-looking parfaits!
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Making bento boxes is an act of love in Japan. Many homemakers wake up in the early hours of the day to prepare stunning bento boxes for their partners and children to bring to work. Whilst it’s a genuine way to express their love, it’s also fantastic to show off their skills and creativity!
Bento boxes are much loved all around the world. However, the skillfulness of the Japanese people in preparing the most eye-catching, adorable bento boxes is still something most people dream about.
Well, you no longer have to dream because this bento-making class will prepare you with the knowledge to create the most adorable cartoon character bento box!
In this cooking class, you will learn the basics of how to turn a Japanese animation into a bento box using fresh seasonal ingredients. As a bonus, you’ll always get to learn about the interesting history and culture surrounding the Japanese bento box whilst preparing your very own!
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Sushi is arguably the quintessential food of the Japanese people. It’s a much-loved dish for everyone around the world and is as visually appealing as it is flavorsome with every bite.
If you’ve tried your hand at rolling sushi at home, chances are, you’d have only rolled maki rolls, which are the ones you usually purchase at the shops. Sushi has a long, winded, unique history, and it includes much more than just the maki roll.
In this cooking class, you’ll be hosted by the one and only Kazuki, the president of Sushi Bar Yachiyo, which is a 100-year-old sushi shop located right in the heart of Tokyo.
You will be exposed to the traditional practices of sushi craftsmanship that only a few know to make 5 different types of sushi, including nigiri (always a favorite!) and tamagoyaki. More than that, you will be trained using two different methods of crafting sushi: the kotegaeshi method and the tategaeshi method.
Post-class, and after all the hard work, you can sit back and reap the rewards of your hard work with everyone else in the class, with the chance to ask any questions to the knowledgeable teacher.
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With the Japanese food scene gaining massive popularity and traction worldwide, cooking classes are exploding across the scenes in Tokyo. One unique class that’s becoming quite the go-to is this halal ramen and gyoza cooking class. With a specific dedication to using only certified halal ingredients, you can be assured that your needs will be accommodated.
In this class, you will be learning how to make delicious chicken ramen with fresh seasonal vegetables. You will also be learning how to make addictive gyoza fillings and wrap them up to perfection.
No experience is required, as your instructor is a knowledgeable cook who will be able to take you through all the basics!
After the class, you will get to dine on your own cooking alongside some refreshing green tea pudding.
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Witnessing and eating Japanese candy cannot be compared to any other experience. Japanese candy is somewhat considered an art form to many, and if you’ve wandered into traditional Japanese candy shops before, you’ll know what we’re talking about.
Each piece of candy looks as though it’s been crafted to perfection, characterized by delicate molding and decorations. Many candy shops have a glass display window, showcasing the candy artisans showing off their skills behind the scenes.
In this exhilarating cooking class, you’ll learn how to sculpt your very own candy rabbit! You will use a soft type of candy called “mizuame” to mold into your ” usagi, ” or rabbit. You will be allowed a few practice rounds before crafting your final piece.
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One of the most surprising things that people learn when traveling to Japan is that Japanese sushi is vastly different from sushi in other countries. Whilst the basics might be the same, the quality, type of ingredients, and simplicity of Japanese sushi are quite the standout!
In this cooking class, you’ll find out exactly what goes into traditional Japanese sushi. A qualified and knowledgeable teacher will take you through how to roll sushi from scratch. You’ll also get to learn the wonderful history of sushi and its different styles, and the proper techniques of sushi-making.
After mastering the art of sushi, you’ll get to sick down in a relaxed setting and eat to your heart’s content.
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The title of this cooking class is bizarre yet exciting, but it does leave you wondering: what exactly will you be doing in this class?
Well, firstly, if you’re a sashimi lover, you absolutely cannot miss this class. Learn from a veteran, Captain Mikio, how to identify sashimi-grade fish so you’ll never miss any opportunity again! Not only that, you’ll be learning how to cook an entire fish from scratch!
Captain Mikio’s culinary experiences span multiple international cuisines – but Japanese cuisine is his specialty and passion.
After visiting a fish market to learn how to identify sashimi-grade fish, you will learn how to handle a whole fish, and cook it in a variety of dishes. Captain Mikio will also impart his knowledge of how to properly sharpen and use Japanese knives in the process.
All in all, this is a well-rounded, educational, and fun cooking class, especially if you’re a seafood lover!
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If you want more recommendations, you can also check out our selection of the 12 best sushi making classes in Tokyo!
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I hope your liked our list of the best cooking classes in Tokyo!
Local cooking classes are such a wonderful way to soak in the history and culture of a country, and Tokyo offers some of the best ones in the country.
Whether you’re looking to learn about the intricate art of wagashi, or how to roll various sushi to impress at your next dinner party, there are plenty of classes here to choose from.
We’d recommend trying at least a few because you get so much more than just a cooking lesson from these classes. You’ll get a bit of a history lesson, knowledge imparted from highly skilled cooking teachers, and most importantly, some new friends at the end of the experience.
Want to try more food experiences in Tokyo? Check out our selection of the best food tours in Tokyo! And if you are visiting Kyoto and Osaka during your trip to Japan, feel free to also read our list of best cooking classes in Kyoto and best cooking classes in Osaka.
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