Home Cooking, Music & Tea Ceremony Near Tokyo Disney

Let a local introduce you to traditional Japanese culture and arts in her home in Chiba, only a short train ride from Tokyo Disney. In this private experience, you’ll deepen your understanding of Japanese traditions through several hands-on activities:

- First, you’ll change into a cotton kimono (yukata) with help from your host, who will share the cultural significance of this garment in Japanese culture.

- Your host will demonstrate a Japanese tea ceremony and guide you through the intricacies of this precise ritual. You will enjoy a cup of freshly made tea before learning to make your own tea and enjoy both with traditional confectioneries (wagashi).

- You’ll then step into the kitchen to make Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, a delicious savory pancake topped with vegetables and a rich sauce. The default topping is pork, but it can be changed to shrimp if you don’t eat pork. You can also opt for a gluten-free and vegan alternative and make nori maki rolls (sushi rolls wrapped in a sheet of seaweed). If you prefer this option, please select it on the Options tab.

-After the meal, you’ll enjoy a private koto performance. Koto is a Japanese string instrument similar to a harp often used in theater plays and live music concerts. Your host will play three songs on the koto before teaching you how to play a classic track called “Sakura”.

Noriko, the host for this experience, is a certified koto teacher from Hiroshima. Her curiosity and passion for cultural exchange led her to travel to over 30 countries as a backpacker. A lifelong appreciation for Japanese arts has led her to become a licensed koto instructor and a tea ceremony master and inspired her to open the doors of her home to visitors interested in learning from her wisdom and experience.