Kanazawa Sushi & Cooking Class: Hands-On at 56-Year School

You Cook Five Dishes Yourself at a Kanazawa Institution That's Been Teaching Since 1969

You spend three hours cooking five Japanese dishes (sushi, jibuni, rolled omelet, dashi broth, and sides) under step-by-step guidance at a 56-year-old school near Kanazawa Station. Real-time AI translation keeps communication smooth, and you taste everything you make with a small sake or plum wine. You leave with photos, a certificate, and an English recipe to recreate the dishes at home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hands-on Japanese cooking class

• Arrive at culinary school near station
• Change into sushi chef uniform
• Learn about Japanese food culture
• Prepare dashi broth with guidance
• Make nigiri sushi using fresh fish
• Cook Jibuni chicken stew
• Make dashi-maki tamago omelette
• Prepare seasonal side dish and miso soup
• Enjoy handmade dishes with aperitif
• Receive certificate and photos

The experience

Most cooking classes in Japan are demos. You watch a chef work, take notes, go home. This one flips that. You're in a chef's uniform within minutes of arriving at the school, 3 minutes from Kanazawa Station, and you're the one holding the knife. The instructors guide you through each step, but there's no standing around. You make nigiri sushi with wild fish from Omicho Market, the same fishmonger Michelin-listed restaurants use. You shape dashi-maki tamago: a rolled omelet so precise it's almost architectural. You build the broth itself, bonito and kelp, from scratch. And you learn jibuni, the local Kanazawa stew with samurai-era roots, the kind of dish you'll actually want to cook again at home.

The class runs about three hours, and the pacing never feels rushed. Real-time AI translation appears on a large screen, so language doesn't slow things down. You'll also make miso soup, a seasonal side, and finish with a small aperitif (sake or plum wine), while you taste everything you've cooked. The school has been operating for 56 years, and it shows in how they handle groups. They keep numbers small, which means the instructors actually see what you're doing and correct your grip or your knife angle without you having to ask. Photos get taken during the class, and you leave with a Japanese certificate of completion and an English recipe emailed the day before so you can prep at home if you want.

One practical note: vegan diets and guests who avoid fish-based dashi can't be accommodated here. The dashi is central to almost everything, and they can't swap it out same-day. Other dietary restrictions need to be flagged at booking. If you're interested in Japanese knives, there's an in-house Knife Museum opening in July 2025, and class participants get 10% off if you want to browse after.

What’s included

• Your class includes hands-on instruction for five dishes (nigiri sushi, dashi-maki tamago, jibuni, dashi broth, and seasonal sides with miso soup) using premium Japanese knives and fresh ingredients from Omicho Market.
• You wear a chef-style apron, receive real-time AI translation on a large screen, taste everything you cook with a small aperitif, get professional photos taken during the class, and leave with an English recipe and a Japanese Certificate of Completion.
• An optional purchase of premium Japanese knives is available, and participants receive a 10% discount at the in-house Knife Museum (opening July 2025).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 18:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Under 12: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian 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.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Public transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Nakata cooking school

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to actually cook, not watch, and if you're serious about learning dishes you can remake at home. The 56-year track record and small-group format mean the instructors have time to correct your technique, which is what makes the skills stick.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese.

How far is the cooking school from Kanazawa Station?

Three minutes on foot.

Do I need cooking experience to join?

No. The class is hands-on but guided step-by-step for all skill levels.

Can I buy the Japanese knives used in the class?

Yes, there's an optional purchase option for premium Japanese knives. An in-house Knife Museum opens July 2025 with a 10% discount for participants.

What dietary restrictions can be accommodated?

Vegan diets and fish-based dashi avoidance cannot be accommodated. Other restrictions must be reported at booking. Same-day changes are not possible.

How long is the class?

Approximately three hours.

What's included in the class?

Hands-on instruction for five dishes, use of premium Japanese knives, chef apron, real-time translation, photos, a certificate, a small aperitif, and an English recipe sent by email.

Do I get to eat what I cook?

Yes. You taste all five dishes you prepare, served with a small sake or plum wine.