Hiroshima Private Japanese Cooking Class in Local Home

You crush sesame with a mortar and pestle the way Machiko's family does.

A private cooking class in a local Hiroshima home where you learn to make 2-3 traditional Japanese dishes from scratch, then sit down to eat the meal you prepared at your host's dining table. The class runs about three hours and takes place in a leafy residential neighborhood roughly 20 minutes by streetcar from the city center. Machiko's husband and children may join you when available. Vegetarian and vegan options are on the menu.

The experience

You'll cook in Machiko's home kitchen in a quiet neighborhood away from the tourist center of Hiroshima. The class focuses on homestyle dishes (miso soup, salad with sesame dressing, Japanese omelet or karaage and tempura with rice balls, hand-rolled sushi, and green tea sweets), and Machiko teaches the traditional techniques that go into each one. When you make the salad dressing, you use a mortar and pestle to crush the sesame seeds by hand instead of reaching for a grater. The whole cooking part runs about an hour and a half.

After you finish cooking, you move to Machiko's dining table and eat the food together. Her home is decorated with family photos, an old turntable with vinyl records, an aquarium, and her children's toys: the kind of lived-in detail that makes it clear you're cooking and eating in an actual home, not a studio. On days Machiko's husband Daishi and the kids are around, they'll join you for the meal. The class is 100% private, so it's just you and your host.

Getting there takes about 20 minutes by streetcar from central Hiroshima. The class works for families with young children, and vegetarian and vegan versions of the dishes are available if you need them. A live guide conducts the class in English or Japanese depending on what you speak.

What’s included

• Private cooking class in Machiko's home kitchen.
• instruction in making 2-3 traditional Japanese dishes.
• the home-cooked meal you prepare.
• green tea flavored sweets.
• gratuities.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Stroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?The class is taught in English or Japanese, so you'll follow along comfortably in whichever language you speak. It's also family-friendly, which means young children can come along and eat with you, though the cooking itself is hands-on and works best if you're old enough to handle basic kitchen tasks.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What dishes will I learn to cook?

The menu typically includes miso soup, salad with sesame dressing, Japanese omelet or karaage and tempura served with rice balls or hand-rolled sushi, and green tea flavored sweets. Machiko chooses based on what she's cooking for her own family that week, so the exact dishes may vary.

How far is Machiko's home from central Hiroshima?

Her house is in a residential neighborhood about 20 minutes away by streetcar from the city center, so it's close enough to reach easily but far enough to feel like you're stepping into a real neighborhood rather than a tourist area.

Will I eat alone or with other people?

The class is completely private, so you cook and eat with Machiko. When her husband Daishi and children are available, they join you for the meal, but it's still just your group and her family: no other cooking students.

Can I do this if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

Yes, vegetarian and vegan versions of the dishes are available, so Machiko can adapt the menu to what you eat.