Japanese Cooking Class in Nagano: Learn Traditional Recipes

Cook three dishes in a century-old merchant's house, then eat what you made

A three-hour Japanese cooking class held in a 130-year-old Machiya-style house in Nagano where you learn to prepare traditional local dishes, handle authentic ingredients, and receive written recipes to take home. The class covers basics like dashi broth and introduces regional ingredients rarely found outside Japan. Recipes adjust for vegetarians and vegans, and all cooking tools and aprons are provided.

The experience

You arrive at a house that was built over 130 years ago and once belonged to a Shoya, the biggest merchant in Nagano at the time. The kitchen sits on the second floor and overlooks a Japanese garden. Before the cooking starts, you walk through the main rooms and see what daily life looked like here: a Koto (Japanese harp), an old sawing machine, and other objects stored carefully in the Kura, a traditional back-house storage. The kitchen itself is built from sake barrel lids that came from a local brewery.

The class teaches you the foundations of Japanese cooking. You'll learn how to make dashi broth from scratch, work with local ingredients that don't appear in regular supermarkets, and prepare one of three courses: Traditional Local Food (which includes deep-fried Korimochi Manju, a regional specialty), Temari Sushi with vegetables and Shinshu Salmon, or Shabu-Shabu with house-made broth and sauce. The instructor explains each step so you can recreate the dishes when you're home. Beyond what you cook, the class includes other dishes, noodles or rice, and dessert, so you eat a full meal at the end.

Shinano Omachi, where Nagano sits, lies at the base of the Northern Japanese Alps and was historically a waypoint on the Salt Road connecting the Sea of Japan to central Honshu. That geography and history shaped a food culture built on sustainable, healthy ingredients passed down through generations. This class opens that world without requiring you to arrange transport or bring any equipment.

What’s included

• Three-hour cooking class with live English-speaking guide.
• choice of three courses (Traditional Local Food, Temari Sushi, or Shabu-Shabu).
• aprons and all cooking tools.
• written recipes to take home.
• the meal you cook plus additional prepared dishes, noodles or rice, and dessert.
• vegetarian and vegan recipe adjustments available.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday and WednesdayDeparts at 10:30

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): 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.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Yuka's Japanese Culture Tour

Is this one for you?Choose the Traditional Local Food Course if you want to cook with Nagano's signature regional ingredients like Korimochi; pick Temari Sushi if you prefer learning a dish locals make at home for celebrations; select Shabu-Shabu if you want to master a hot-pot technique you can adapt with ingredients from your own country.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's included in the three-hour class besides the cooking?

Aprons, all cooking tools, and a written recipe you take home. You also eat the dishes you prepare, plus additional prepared dishes, noodles or rice, and dessert.

Can I choose which dishes to cook, or is the menu set?

You choose from three courses before the class: Traditional Local Food Course (featuring deep-fried Korimochi Manju), Temari Sushi Course, or Shabu-Shabu Course. The instructor adjusts recipes for vegetarians and vegans.

What makes the ingredients in this class different from what I'd buy at home?

The class uses local Nagano ingredients rarely sold in regular supermarkets. Shinano Omachi's location at the base of the Northern Japanese Alps and its history as a stop on the Salt Road created a unique regional food culture that the class explores.

Is the class taught in English?

Yes, the class is conducted in English with a live guide.

Do I need to know how to cook to join?

No. The class covers basics like how to make dashi broth and introduces you to local ingredients and techniques step by step. You'll receive explanations so you can cook the dishes at home afterward.

What's the house like inside?

The 130-year-old Machiya-style house was built for a Shoya, a major merchant. You can walk through the main rooms and see a Koto (Japanese harp), an old sawing machine, and other objects stored in the Kura, a traditional storage building in back. The kitchen overlooks a Japanese garden.