Cooking & Culture Class in Chiba: Takoyaki & Calligraphy
Make takoyaki (battered octopus balls) & side dishes at a home cooking class in Chiba! Enjoy your handmade meal, then a Japanese calligraphy lesson with your host. Includes pick-up from Chiba Station.
Highlights
Guests will be picked up from Chiba Station by the host
Learn authentic Japanese cooking techniques from a certified cooking instructor
Learn how to make takoyaki (battered octopus balls) & side dishes at a home cooking class in Chiba
Enjoy a Japanese calligraphy lesson
Take home English-language recipes to recreate the dishes at home
10 meals
Experience Details
Enjoy a day of cooking and culture in Chiba, a charming seaside town just outside of Tokyo. Learn how to make takoyaki (battered octopus balls) and various side dishes with your host, Chieko. After you’ve mastered the recipes and feasted on your handmade meal, end the day with a calligraphy lesson!
Chieko's culinary journey began in Tokushima, where her family's farming heritage ensured fresh ingredients year-round. From there, she traversed Japan and even Los Angeles, honing her passion for food and its power to bring happiness. Guided by her mother's culinary finesse and inspired by the harmony of ingredients, Chieko's mission is to foster an appreciation for Japanese culture through its cuisine.
Recipe target for the day: Takoyaki, a Japanese street food beloved for its unique combination of flavors and textures, plus its scalding hot serving temperature. Takoyaki is made from a batter of flour, eggs, and dashi (a savory broth), which is poured into a special spherical mold. Chopped octopus, pickled ginger, and green onions are added to the batter before the balls are cooked on a hot griddle, expertly turned with specialized tools until they become golden brown and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and creamy inside.
During this class, you'll get hands-on experience mixing the batter, selecting the freshest ingredients, and mastering the technique of flipping takoyaki. Chieko-san will guide you through the process, sharing insights into this beloved street food's history and cultural significance.
After you've made and enjoyed your handmade meal, learn the art of Japanese calligraphy! Write your favorite Japanese words, names, or characters (hiragana, katakana, kanji).
Experience flow:
Be picked up at Chiba Station and transferred to the experience location
Exchange greetings, settle in, and head to the kitchen
Learn about Japanese cooking techniques and tools
Make takoyaki and various side dishes
Enjoy your handmade meal
Calligraphy lesson
Inclusions
Ingredients to make takoyaki (battered octopus balls) and various side dishes
A bilingual (Japanese & English) certified cooking instructor
Enjoy your handmade meal at the end of the cooking class
Japanese calligraphy lesson
Exclusions
Transportation to and from the experience location
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
The meeting point will be JR Chiba Station. A Google Maps link will be provided upon booking.
Remarks
Please arrive on time
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 2 days before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
It’s not just about Disney and Narita Airport in Tokyo’s westward neighbor — Chiba is also a must-visit for sports, nature, agriculture, and history, giving the capital a real run for its money.
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10 meals
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