Kyoto: Sushi Cooking Class & Meal with Local Chef

Rolling sushi in a Kyoto home kitchen, then eating what you made

You'll roll sushi, make soup and pickled ginger in a home kitchen with a 15-year veteran instructor, learn Japanese table manners and food culture in English, then eat everything you cooked. The class caps at 13 people, includes all ingredients and recipes, and runs in a real Kyoto home rather than a commercial space, which is what makes the whole thing feel like you were actually invited over.

Step-by-step itinerary

Authentic Japanese cooking experience

• Arrive at Kaori’s kitchen
• Learn to make sushi and soup
• Prepare pickled ginger
• Study Japanese table manners
• Discover Japanese cuisine culture
• Enjoy Kaori’s hospitality

The experience

You're stepping into a narrow alley in central Kyoto, finding a doorway that opens into Kaori's kitchen: a real home space, not a commercial studio. She's been teaching cooking classes for over 15 years, and the difference shows immediately. You're not rotating through stations with twelve other tourists. The group stays under 13, and you're working at her counters the way you'd cook in a friend's house. The class runs in English, and she walks you through making several types of sushi, soup, pickled ginger: the things that actually appear on a Japanese table.

What lands differently here is that Kaori teaches you the culture alongside the technique. You learn Japanese table manners not as a separate lecture but woven into the cooking itself, so when you sit down to eat what you've made, you're already moving the right way. She talks about the history of the dishes, why ingredients matter, what variations work if you're cooking at home later. There's an aperitif when you arrive, Japanese green tea throughout, and all the ingredients are provided. You're not hunting for wasabi or nori in an unfamiliar market. By the end, you've got the recipes written down and a sense of how these dishes actually fit into Japanese life, not just how to plate them.

The meal itself is the point where the class stops being instruction and becomes hospitality. You eat the sushi you rolled, the soup you made, sitting in her kitchen. If you have dietary requirements, you mention them when booking and she adjusts. Public transportation stops nearby, so getting there doesn't require a car or a guide meeting you elsewhere. You can find it on your own or ask your hotel for directions to the alley.

What’s included

Your class includes an aperitif on arrival, Japanese green tea, all ingredients needed for cooking, printed recipes, instruction from an English-speaking chef with over 15 years of experience, and a full meal of the dishes you've prepared.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs Monday to Saturday at 11:30, from JP¥ 11,000 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 11:30Another time? ›

GroupUp to 12 · max 8 per booking2 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

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

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be booked

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

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Public transport nearby

Operated by Japanese Cooking Class Roujiya

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to learn Japanese cooking hands-on and understand the culture behind it, not just follow steps: Kaori's home setting and 15 years of teaching mean you're getting depth and real hospitality, which is what takes this past a cooking class into something you actually remember.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Advise any specific dietary requirements at the time of booking, and Kaori will adjust the menu.

How many people are in each class?

Maximum 13 people per booking.

Is the instruction in English?

Yes, Kaori teaches the entire class in English.

What dishes do you learn to make?

You'll make several types of sushi, soup, pickled ginger, and other authentic Japanese dishes.

Is transportation included?

No, but public transportation options are available near the kitchen. You arrange your own way there.

Do you get recipes to take home?

Yes, recipes are provided so you can recreate the dishes at home.

Is this a commercial cooking school?

No, it's held in Kaori's home kitchen in a back alley in central Kyoto, not a studio.