Tokyo Vegan & Gluten-Free Cooking: Onigiri, Pickles & More

Practical, portable, and comforting, onigiri are the basic fuel for Japanese students, businesspeople, and tourists alike. Essentially pressed balls of steamed rice (often with condiments and fillings), onigiri are not too difficult to make, but understanding their cultural significance, history, and a few cooking tips and tricks, you might never look at this classic Japanese food in the same way again.

In this gluten-free and vegan cooking class, you’ll prepare an onigiri-centered Japanese meal with soup, a pickled dish, and a side dish. Aside from cooking, you'll also learn about Japanese food culture, dietary habits, and traditional foods from an experienced Japanese chef and restaurateur.

You’ll be making six kinds of onigiri:

-Yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls brushed with soy sauce)

-Vegan mentaiko filling (pollack roe)

-Vegan tuna and mayonnaise filling

-Dried pickled plum (umeboshi) filling

-Shiso filling (shiso is an aromatic leaf commonly used in Japanese cuisine, similar to basil and mint)

-Kelp seaweed filling

Your host, Chiaki, is a professional chef who owns a shop selling organic products and a plant-based restaurant in Nagoya. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience through Japanese home cooking classes with participants from all over the world while also catering to their dietary requirements.

This cooking class is near Nishi-Nippori Station in a charming centric area in Tokyo, easy to reach via a short train ride from Ueno or Akihabara Station. After the class, feel free to walk off your meal exploring the district’s bustling retro streets, parks, and textile shops.