Japan · COOKING CLASSES
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 cooking classes justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
At Ramen Factory Kyoto, you knead and press noodles, season your broth, prepare toppings, and cook a personalized bowl with guidance from friendly instructors such as Mahiro, Moeka, and Haruka. The class is Halal-certified, with vegetarian and vegan choices available by request.
“This is a fun activity! We did it with our family and even the kids had a good time. Fun memories for us all.”
Join YUCa in her Tokyo home kitchen for a 2.5-hour lesson on ramen and gyoza. You’ll learn practical Japanese cooking techniques, shape dumplings, assemble your meal, and eat what you make. A local supermarket visit may follow, but confirm that this optional portion is running.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our cooking class with Yuca. It was a great, interactive morning learning about ramen and gyoza (and of course eating the delicious food). This cooking class is for all ages and dietary restrictions. I'd highly recommend a class with Yuca!”
At Ramen Factory Kyoto, English-speaking instructors such as Sakura, Fuku, and Akemi guide you through making noodles, seasoning chicken, choosing miso, salt, or soy flavors, and assembling your bowl. The 90-minute class includes a souvenir and a recipe sent by email.
“it was wonderful. the staff were very friendly and showed and explained everything in detail. they heloed us to take pictures and videos . the ramen was very delicious. they provided us with souvenirs. the location was easy to find. we learned a lot and had fun. the place was clean and pretty. we enjoyed every moment. thank you. it was a great experience and we would like to do it again.”
In central Kyoto, English-speaking instructors such as Nori, Kairi, Aoi, and Minori guide you through miso and shoyu ramen broth, gyoza wrapping, and onigiri shaping. Ingredients are ready to use, the class is limited to eight, and you eat your creations with coffee or tea afterward.
“I can highly recommend this ramen cooking class! The organization and preparation were absolutely outstanding – everything was perfectly planned, well-structured, and thoughtfully arranged. The cooking instructors were incredibly friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. Their warm and welcoming attitude created a relaxed and motivating atmosphere where you felt comfortable from the very beginning. The instructions for each dish were clear, easy to understand, and designed in a way that made every step quick and effortless to follow. We also prepared delicious gyoza and beautifully shaped onigiri. The guidance for each of these dishes was just as precise and enjoyable, making the whole cooking e...”
At Kyoto Laundry Cafe near Saiin Station, chefs such as Ai, Rie, and Miyu guide you through a hands-on washoku class. Make sushi rolls, tempura, sesame tofu salad, and dashimaki tamago, then enjoy the full bento together. English and Japanese instruction, ingredients, aprons, and equipment are included.
“This was one of our favorite things we did on our trip to Japan. We learned how to make many different things and there was so much food to eat after, come hungry! We appreciated the presentation describing the history of the bento box. Excellent activity!”
In a small English-language class at Cooking Sun Osaka, you knead wheat, cut fresh ramen noodles, prepare chicken gyoza, and build soy sauce ramen with homemade broth. Instructors such as Miki, June, Kasa, and Yoshi guide the work, adjust recipes when needed, and provide recipes to take home.
“The teachers, the food, the whole class was wonderful!”
At Shinjuku Ale in Kabukicho, you’ll learn how ramen developed, then follow a shortened recipe to choose soup, boil noodles, and add toppings. Guides such as Tak, Hinata, Mikhail, and Nina lead small groups of up to six. The class lasts one hour and includes the ramen you make.
“Since I can’t even cook water properly I thought this would be a nice thing to do g to try. I was so glad I booked this event because I got to learn how ramen are actually done and could cook them by myself. The first delicious thing I’ve cooked in my entire life I guess 😅 Michail did an amazing job explaining all the steps of the process. I had so much fun there. The location is in the heart of Shinjuku so there is a lot going on outside, if you’re lucky you get to hear Godzillas roar and some cosplay from Anime. Clear recommendation for this event.…”
In Tokyo’s Tsukuda district, Sato, Ryushi, Kaori, Taka, and their team guide you through sushi, ramen broth, and sake pairing in a maximum-eight-person class. The three-hour session includes ingredients, the meal, and all drinks, with hands-on help and Japanese food stories.
“The sushi making experience and sake tasting was wonderful. There were only 5 in our group, so instructions on sushi making were up close and personal and very helpful. The setting was great, overlooking the river, and the sushi we got to eat after making it was delicious. Also, the sake was top notch and very smooth.”
Spend 2.5 hours in a small Kyoto cooking class making noodles, gyoza, fried rice, and ramen with a professional chef and English-speaking guide such as Yuki, Ayuri, or Rina. You get a full meal, two drinks, cultural background, and recipes, but the ramen uses pork broth and dietary substitutions are limited.
“We had the best time and one of the best meals with Avinash, our host, and the chef! They were so friendly and were so friendly and helpful when it came to directions and hospitality. Definitely booking again next time we come to Kyoto!”
Join Cooking Sun in a homey Shinjuku studio for a three-hour, hands-on lesson covering Wagyu, dashi, miso soup, tofu, salads, omelet, and dorayaki. English-speaking instructors such as Yuki and Yuko explain each dish, its ingredients, and its place in everyday Japanese cooking.
“it was really nice learning how to make some Japanese dishes, and of course eating it all at the end. from start to finish was a great experience.”
Meet Yayo near Noda Station for a 2.5-hour hands-on class in her Osaka home. Prepare okonomiyaki, takoyaki, miso soup, and sweets, then eat your meal. Small groups of up to eight, English instruction, vegetarian and pescatarian options by request.
“My daughter and I really enjoyed this experience. Yayo is really nice and a good teacher. We also got to learn about her mother. We made okonomyaki, tamago-maki, miso soup, takoyaki, matcha, and taiyaki. Way too much food to eat for me! I'm glad it demystified a few things about Japanese cooking. I didn't know it's so easy to make Dashi! It was an interesting and fun to have this experience in her home, as well as, meet some nice people from Australia. I'm glad we did this and would love to do a similar experience when we return next year. Look forward to making the some of the same…”
Meet near Iriya Station for a four-hour cooking class that begins in a local supermarket. With guides such as April, Yuri, or Alice, you’ll choose ingredients, make makisushi, miso soup, rolled omelet, and eggplant, then eat together with optional sake or beer tasting.
“We really enjoyed our cooking class with Minnie. She did a great job explaining all the directions for the dishes we were making. The food we made was delicious. Highly recommend this experience!”
Spend three hours at Cooking Sun in Kyoto learning everyday izakaya cooking with English-speaking instructors such as Yumi and Yumiko. You cook in two rounds, usually making five or six savory dishes and dessert, then sit down to eat what you prepared. Recipes are provided for home use.
“A completely brilliant afternoon of making local Japanese food which we could easily make again at home. Wonderful instruction, friendly staff and we loved the food we made. A really great experience. Thank you for helping to make Japanese food accessible. Delicious.”
At Cooking Sun Kyoto, an English-speaking chef and team guide you through dashi, Japanese seasonings, and several izakaya-style dishes in a traditional wooden house. You cook, eat, and take home the recipes. Classes begin at 2pm and last about three hours, with groups capped at eight.
“My 3rd Cooking Sun class didn’t disappoint. The instructors are nice and very patient answering the classes questions. The cucumber salad is still one of my favorites it I think the Pumpkin soup is now my #1. The pasta was delicious and I loved the mochi dessert we made.”
Join Momo, a sake sommelier and former brewer, at MOMO to SAKE near Osaka Namba. You will cook takoyaki with octopus, wagyu, cheese, and other fillings, then sample seasonal sake while learning about brewing, styles, and flavor. Groups are capped at six, with soft drinks available.
“Momo is as great. I enjoyed very much!! At first you don’t know what to expect, but it really is a very good menu to do sake tasting, and eat takoyaki!!”
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