20 Best Tokyo Cooking Classes to Level Up Your Japanese Cooking Skills

Tokyo is a gourmet paradise of the highest order. It’s hard to imagine anywhere else on earth having as many talented chefs, from the high-end restaurants in the sushi heartlands of Ginza to small shops where you can get a bowl of Michelin-starred noodles for under $10 (read our article on the 5 most affordable Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo if you don’t believe us!).

If you’ve already ticked off everything on our 7-day itinerary for visiting Japan, it’s time to enter the kitchen. Ever fancied learning to make delicious Japanese cuisine with your own hands? If crafting the perfect bowl of ramen, learning to make bento lunches, or cooking like a Buddhist monk tickles your fancy, then you’re in the right place. 

You can do all that and more during these fantastic cooking classes in Tokyo, under the guidance of some of the city’s culinary experts. Not only will you get a cultural experience (often cooking in the home of your host), but you’ll also gain practical skills to summon the culinary spirit of Japan in your own home kitchen for years to come!

Japan is the land of noodle varieties, from the ever-famous ramen to traditional soba and thick, chewy udon. It’s time you tried out a Japanese noodle cooking class for yourself.

You can’t fly all the way to Japan without diving into a bowl or two of delicious ramen, but have you thought about joining a ramen cooking class in Tokyo? You’re about to.

The ramen craze has well and truly taken over the world. You can find instant packets of these flavorful noodle soups lining the shelves of supermarkets from New York to Nigeria. A true ramen lover stays away from these, however, opting instead for the real deal: the original, big, hearty bowls of fresh ramen you’ll find all over Japan. 

In this Japanese cooking class, you’ll get the chance to make your own ramen and gyoza in Asakusa, one of the most historic districts of Tokyo. Over the course of 2 hours you’ll learn how to prepare this delicious noodle soup and even make crispy pan-fried gyoza (Japanese potstickers) from scratch (with the recipe to take home). 

Make vegetarian ramen and gyoza: Vegetarian recipes are available for both, making this one of the more accessible cooking classes in Tokyo!

In this 2-hour ramen-making class in Tokyo, you'll learn the tricks of the trade from Chef Shishido Yoshi, a professional ramen chef and former restaurant owner.

You'll learn to make ramen noodles from scratch using specialized equipment at at a professional cooking studio in Tokyo, all while Shishido regales you with the history of ramen in Japan.

Once you've created the chef's original recipe chicken tonkotsu ramen for yourself — plus toppings and crispy gyoza — you'll even get to take the recipe home with you!

For a long time, Japan wasn’t an easy place to navigate as a vegan diner. Many of the classic Japanese vegetable dishes use the ubiquitous dashi fish stock! All that’s beginning to change, however, with a new wave of inclusive dining culture taking hold in the big cities. 

To get an insight into this side of Japanese cuisine while enjoying some vegan-friendly cooking, join this vegan ramen and gyoza cooking class. Over the course of 2.5 hours, you’ll learn to make ramen that uses miso (a fermented paste made from soybeans) instead of fish stock, and gyoza that's packed with delicious vegetables. 

The instructor knows a lot about vegan Japanese cuisine, so she’s the perfect person to give you the lowdown on what to eat in Tokyo during your time here!

You’ve ticked off ramen, so what’s next? Udon, of course! It’s beloved for its chewy texture and it only gets better when it’s served fresh — something you can experience for yourself in a Tokyo udon cooking class!

Udon is soba’s thicker, chewier cousin. These delicious wheat noodles are a popular lunchtime favorite, and a key fixture of authentic Japanese home cooking. During this udon cooking and calligraphy class in Tokyo, you’ll learn to make a bowl of these noodles yourself.

It’s not all about the noodles though; you’ll also get a chance to learn the ancient art of calligraphy. Your host will teach you to write a kanji character of your choosing. Using a brush, ink, and careful techniques, you’ll learn to master the elegant art of calligraphy!

To celebrate your new skills, cut, boil, and enjoy your freshly made udon noodles before taking home the recipe for yourself. 

When it comes to Japanese noodles, soba is the most traditional of the bunch, first brought to Japan by Buddhist monks returning from China. Go on, learn how to make these delicious buckwheat noodles in our Tokyo soba cooking classes.

Soba, buckwheat noodles, are among the healthiest of their kind in the world, and a popular dish everywhere from top restaurants to local eateries. Several of the top artisan soba shops hold Michelin stars, and with good reason!

In this handmade soba noodles cooking class in Tokyo, you’ll get to appreciate the craftsmanship which goes into making quality, authentic buckwheat noodles. In the comfort of a private home, you’ll learn to carry out the whole process of mixing, rolling, cutting, and cooking your own noodles from scratch.

After this Tokyo cooking class, you’ll also leave armed with all of the recipes and nutrition facts you need to make authentic handmade soba a part of your repertoire long after you've returned home from your Japan trip.

Sushi. It’s become synonymous with Japan, often the first thing that people think of when they think of this beautiful country. So, how about impressing people back home after one of our sushi cooking classes in Tokyo?

In this private Tokyo sushi-making class, you’ll spend 1.5 hours in the serene setting of a 100-year-old sushi shop in the heart of Tokyo, learning how to make 5 types of sushi, including nigiri sushi and tamagoyaki sushi. 

Taught by Kazuki, the president of Sushi Bar Yachiyo, you’ll join the sushi-making alumni of over 5,000 visitors who have been lucky enough to learn the art of sushi with this expert.

English-speaking assistant: For an experience when the conversation keeps flowing, you may want to go for the option that includes an English-speaking assistant! 

Follow in the footsteps of byFood host Shizuka Anderson and join this Tsukiji Market tour with the discerning eye of expert chef, waiting to help you find the freshest ingredients and best deals.

After the rush of the market, head back to Ginza Saisho — an acclaimed sushi restaurant in Tokyo — and prepare sashimi with grated wasabi root.

You'll even have the chance to indulge in the mouthwatering patented 'uniku' dish, as seen below in Paolo fromTOKYO's video.

In the mood for sushi in Tokyo without any of the hard work? We get it. Book a table at Ginza Saisho and let the experts take care of everything.

Wondering why Tokyo's main fish market moved to Toyosu? Learn about Toyosu Fish Market.

Nigiri is the name for the archetypal sushi shape — a little bed of hand-molded rice with toppings. It comes from the Edomae style of sushi which originated in Tokyo, so where better to learn how to make it?

This nigiri sushi-making class in Tokyo is a 2 hour experience, during which you’ll learn to properly season the rice with vinegar before molding it into the iconic nigiri shape. Then you can finish your pieces off with some delicious fish, meat, vegetable, or tofu toppings before enjoying your creations along with some drinks!

The sprawling city of Tokyo is effortlessly memorable, but it's often the intimate moments that will stick with you. Join one of these traditional Japanese home cooking classes and you’ll see what we mean.

Kaiseki originated in Kyoto to accompany tea ceremonies. It was a way of celebrating the current season, serving a series of small dishes built upon in-season, local ingredients. For a masterclass in this philosophical cuisine, join our Tokyo wagyu and kaiseki cooking class, combining the indulgence of wagyu with the elegance of kaiseki cuisine.

In this 3-hour cooking class, you’ll have a blast, trying your hand at around 8 historic dishes like wagyu sukiyaki or stuffed lotus root. The menu changes according to the season, and also according to your own needs.

Make this a vegetarian kaiseki cooking class: For vegetarian customers, meat and fish can be replaced with vegetables and other ingredients. Other dietary requirements can be accommodated for; please let us know upon booking.

Washoku, Japan’s traditional cuisine, was designated as a piece of Japan's "Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO in 2013. The term is broad, but at heart, it represents the deeply traditional, natural, and seasonally sensitive cuisine of Japan.

To discover why it’s so special for yourself, join a cooking class in Tokyo like the UNESCO-recognized washoku cooking class in Yotsuya. Over 2.5 hours you’ll learn to cook four different authentic Japanese dishes, on top of the dashi soup stock which underpins the cuisine. 

Washoku is a seasonal cuisine so the exact dishes you make will depend on the time of year, but whatever they are you’re guaranteed an authentic taste of history, and some new cooking skills with which to recreate your own slice of Japanese culture at home.

Tempura is a traditional Japanese food you’ll find everywhere you go, including your own kitchen after you join one of these tempura cooking classes in Tokyo!

An import from Europe via 16th-century Portuguese traders, tempura has since become a quintessential food of Japan. When it was incorporated into Japanese cuisine, deep-frying became surprisingly fresh-tasting due to the lighter batter and healthier oil used. Now, it’s your turn to learn the ways of tempura in this tempura cooking class in Tokyo. 

You’ll be taken under the wing of Chef Shimura Koichiro, who took the reins of Tempura Ono in 2006 and has been frying tempura “from the heart” ever since, delicately balancing passion and precision — a skill you’ll soon learn as your host teaches you how to create perfect tempura.

Bento come in all shapes and sizes, making them especially great for personalized Japanese cooking classes, from traditional to cute bento boxes. Let’s get cooking!

Bento boxes are among the most attractive and playful types of Japanese food presentation. These nicely compartmentalized lunch meals are basically an art form among the home cooks of Japan, and in this traditional bento-making class you’ll learn to make a shokado bento to rival the finest kaiseki chefs. 

Your host, Miho, will tailor the dishes around the season’s freshest ingredients, promising a bento box lunch that’s as delicious as it is eye-catching!

After lunch, Miho will guide you around Kichijoji’s shopping arcades, where she’ll show you all the best places to buy traditional Japanese snacks and cooking ingredients.

Fun fact: The shokado bento was named after Shokado Shojo, a priest in the Edo Period who used a farmer’s seed box to store his paints and medicines. Later, a famous Japanese chef would serve kaiseki cuisine in this same style of box, popularizing its use as the serving method of this traditional meal.

Kawaii culture is a total craze in Japan — home to Hello Kitty, Pokemon, and an endless host of other cute characters. One cute edible art-form you might not know about is kyaraben (character bento), the art of turning your delicious boxed meal into a cute character!

During the kyaraben cartoon character bento-making class, you’ll use a range of different tools and techniques to transform dishes of rice, egg, vegetables, and meat into cute characters. 

Don’t get too attached, though! After snapping some photos of your masterpiece, you’ll get to tuck into it and enjoy the delicious, fresh ingredients inside. 

Tokyo cooking classes have something for everyone, including halal, kosher, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan cooking classes for all tastes and occasions.

Learn about shojin ryori, the ancient Zen Buddhist vegan and vegetarian cuisine, with a friendly host who's somewhat of an expert in this 700-year-old cooking practice.

First, watch an expert cook delicious vegetarian food with seasonal ingredients before trying for yourself, guided towards a delicious meal made by your own hand.

Note: Shojin ryori is famously accessible for strict dietary requirements, so please let your host know ahead of time if you require a kosher, vegan or halal menu.

Find out more: Where to Try Shojin Ryori in Tokyo: Japan's Vegetarian Buddhist Cuisine

The older forms of Buddhism, imported from China, placed importance on vegetarianism as part of a good, ethical life, which led to some pretty strict restrictions around meat consumption. That’s why the historic temple food of Japan (shojin ryori) eschewed meat products in favor of an all-vegetable diet. 

In this vegan Japanese home cooking class, pick up the skills needed for a memorable plant-based shojin ryori meal. Not only will you be taught the etiquette and customs of this historic Japanese cuisine, but you’ll also learn the way of ichiju sansai, referring to the structure of this type of cooking, always containing a soup, a rice dish, a main dish, and two sides. Bring your appetite and let’s get cooking!

Customizable menu: The meal can be customized according to your preferences and is subject to make the most of seasonal ingredients available

Join your friendly bilingual instructor, Wakahara Ayaka, in traditional Asakusa, famous for its historical temples, shrines, and its uniquely old-school downtown vibes. As a popular spot for tourists, the area is embracing changing diets and vegetarian and vegan options are popping up everywhere, including this vegan temari sushi cooking class in Tokyo! 

In a modern restaurant with views of the river and Tokyo Skytree, you’ll learn how to make a vegan meal that includes temari sushi, the type of sushi that’s incredibly cute and sphere-shaped. 

Then, sit back and enjoy your creations while looking out over the river, knowing that every ingredient used helps to support local farmers. 

Japanese curry is one of the most hearty dishes in Japan, filled with all variety of meats, vegetables, and tasty toppings. Fancy making your own Japanese curry in Tokyo?

Japanese curry has been a staple of Japan ever since it traveled over from India during the Meiji Era, brought by British traders. Adapted to Japanese tastes with a milder, sweeter flavor profile, it soon became popular as one of the country’s comfort foods, even celebrated in the halls of Japan’s traditional dishes. 

Now, your Japanese curry can also go down in history! Head to Emi’s cozy Japanese kitchen and choose whether you want to learn how to make tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) or vegetable curry, along with a refreshing side dish — goma-ae (tomato salad with sesame sauce). Tokyo cooking classes don’t get cozier than this!

After all these savory dishes, how about making some traditional Japanese sweets and desserts in these Tokyo cooking classes? We hope you saved room for something sweet.

Red bean paste isn’t such a well-known ingredient in desserts outside of East Asia, but once you’ve tasted its gentle, sweet flavor and melt-in-the-mouth texture, you’ll find yourself craving it at tea time. It’s typically used in the creation of wagashi: ornate, all-natural, vegan-friendly sweets that accompany traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.

During the traditional Japanese sweets, wagashi and mochi class you’ll learn how to make three kinds of wagashi for yourself — dango, nerikiri wagashi, and daifuku mochi.

The process is simple but it requires some special techniques, so a Japanese sweets master is indispensable. They’ll show you how to create the pastes and doughs, fill your sweets with red or white bean paste, then shape them into edible art! In true traditional fashion, the 2.5 hour class ends with a cup of matcha as part of a Japanese tea ceremony, perfect for enjoying alongside your creations.

Want to keep it focused on mochi without the Japanese tea ceremony? Join this 2-hour mochi-making class with the same host. 

If there’s one thing that embodies Japanese desserts, it's the strawberry shortcake, which you’ll see everywhere around the festive season in Japan. So, how about joining this Japanese strawberry shortcake-making class in Tokyo? Then you can have it all to yourself whenever you fancy!

Become the baker of your dreams in this class, where you’ll be guided through the process of making a Japanese strawberry shortcake from scratch — including a few tricks of the trade when it comes to taking a few snaps of your masterpiece. 

Then, end the class on a sweet note with a slice of strawberry shortcake and Japanese tea. 

You could argue that mastering the art of matcha isn't quite a "cooking class in Tokyo," but this cultural experience isn't something you want to miss out on.

Just when you thought Ginza was all about high-end shopping and fine dining, you discover this elegant Japanese tea ceremony experience.

First, learn about the culture and history of tea ceremony in Japan with an introductory lecture. Afterwards, participate in a tea ceremony demonstration where you'll learn to prepare the green tea leaves and how to serve matcha.

Then, you're free to sip on the rewards of your hard work, pairing matcha with the subtle sweetness of Japanese sweets.

Cocktails in Tokyo. Even just the phrase sounds fabulous, and even better when you’ve learned how to pour the cocktails with your own two hands. Shake and stir your way through these cocktail classes in Tokyo.

Mix and sip your way through this mocktail-making class in Tokyo, where Emi will make you into a master mixologist of three tea mocktails. While putting together your mocktails — consisting of a black tea, herbal tea, and green tea — you’ll also chat and enjoy a few sweets, making for a truly memorable experience.

Then, stroll back into Tokyo with the mocktail recipes in your hand and all the ingredients you need to make another tea mocktail when you get home. Cheers!

It's easy to get a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine at any number of restaurants around Tokyo. But to truly understand the cuisine, you really have to try your hand at making some yourself. 

With these Tokyo cooking classes, you can bypass the language barrier, time constraints, and every other obstacle to get right to the heart of Japanese food culture with a friendly local expert. 

The best part is that, when you go back home, you won't have to search for a restaurant that serves authentic Japanese food (trust us, it'll be tough to find the real deal). Instead, you'll be able to recreate the genuine Japanese culinary experience in the comfort of your own home!

Check out our best food tours in Tokyo, read our 3-day itinerary for your first trip to Tokyo, or explore our full list of Tokyo cooking classes to discover more specialties in Japan's capital.

There are likely hundreds, if not thousands, of cooking classes in Tokyo, ranging from ramen, soba, and udon to Japanese curry, traditional sweets, and sushi. As the times change and Japan’s cuisine becomes more accessible for all types of dietary restrictions, you’ll also discover even more gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan cooking classes in Japan. 

From our Tokyo cooking classes highlighted above, you now know that there’s a Japanese cooking classes for everything, including:

• Ramen cooking classes
• Soba cooking classes
• Udon cooking classes
• Bento box-making classes
• Japanese katsu curry cooking classes
• Sushi cooking classes (including vegan sushi!)
• Japanese sweets cooking classes
• Strawberry shortcake cooking classes
• Mocktail-making classes

Most of our Tokyo cooking classes are taught by an English-speaking instructor, so even if you can’t speak Japanese, you’ll still be able to pick up a few new tips and tricks in Tokyo. Certain cooking classes, like our private sushi-making class in Tokyo, are in Japanese and you can choose to have an English-language assistant come along with you.

The best cooking classes in Japan are wherever you are! To make sure you’re ready for Japanese cooking classes wherever you go next, check out our guides for the best cooking classes in Kyoto, the best cooking classes in Tokyo, and the best cooking classes in Osaka!