Sushi Class & Sake Tasting in Kyoto: Nishiki Market to Townhouse

Roll sushi, taste sake, and cook in a preserved Kyoto townhouse

A private sushi-making class in Kyoto combines a guided walk through the 400-year-old Nishiki Market, a mini sake tasting in a traditional townhouse, and a hands-on workshop where you roll sushi, prepare miso soup from scratch, and make seasonal side dishes. The experience runs 2 to 3 hours, includes lunch and a recipe booklet, and is offered in English with vegetarian and vegan options available.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nishiki Market and Sushi Class

• Walk through Nishiki Market
• Taste seasonal treats
• Meet local vendors
• Visit Nishiki Shrine
• Enter traditional Kyomachiya townhouse
• Enjoy mini sake tasting
• Participate in rolled sushi workshop
• Prepare miso soup and side dishes
• Make matcha green tea
• Enjoy Japanese-style dessert

The experience

Start with a guided stroll through Nishiki Market, the 5-block shopping street that has anchored Kyoto's food culture for over 400 years. More than 100 shops line the lantern-lit alleyways, selling fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables, pickles, and the dried ingredients that define traditional Japanese cooking. Your guide shares the market's history and significance while you taste seasonal delicacies and learn what makes Kyoto's flavors distinct. The market also stocks hand-crafted knives and ceramics if you want to carry something home.

After the market, you'll step into a beautifully preserved Kyomachiya: a traditional Kyoto townhouse reserved for your group. A skilled host guides you through a mini sake tasting, explaining Japan's sake culture before you move into the kitchen. This is where the hands-on work begins: you'll roll sushi using fresh ingredients, prepare miso soup from scratch with dashi, and make seasonal Japanese side dishes. The host teaches not just technique but the cultural reasoning behind each dish, so you understand what you're making, not just how.

The class wraps with a simple Japanese-style dessert and matcha preparation. You'll leave with a recipe booklet so the dishes you made stay accessible once you're home. The whole experience is private to your group, conducted in English, and open to children from age 4.

What’s included

• Guided walk through Nishiki Market with tastings.
• mini sake tasting in the townhouse.
• hands-on rolled sushi workshop.
• miso soup prepared from scratch with dashi.
• seasonal Japanese side dishes.
• simple Japanese dessert.
• matcha preparation.
• lunch.
• recipe booklet.
• live guide in English.
• vegetarian and vegan options available with advance notice.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 13:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Youth (4 to 15 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by ホプテラス

Is this one for you?If you're arriving in Kyoto without a car or staying in the city center, this class starts at Nishiki Market and moves to a private townhouse: no transport to arrange, and the guide handles the flow from market to kitchen. The 2- to 3-hour timeframe fits a free afternoon, and you leave with recipes and the skills to cook what you made.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 15 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What is Nishiki Market like, and how much time do we spend there?

Nishiki Market is a 5-block shopping street with over 100 shops selling fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables, pickles, and traditional Japanese ingredients. You'll walk through it with your guide, tasting seasonal treats and learning the market's 400-year history, before moving on to the townhouse for the cooking class.

Do I need cooking experience to join the sushi class?

No. The hands-on sushi workshop is guided by a skilled host and works for both seasoned cooks and culinary beginners. You'll learn rolled sushi, miso soup from scratch, and seasonal side dishes at your own pace.

What if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

Vegetarian and vegan options are available with advance notice, so let the operator know when you book.

What do I get to take home?

You'll receive a recipe booklet so you can recreate the sushi, miso soup, and side dishes you made in Kyoto once you're back home.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs 2 to 3 hours, starting with the Nishiki Market walk and ending with the cooking workshop and dessert in the townhouse.