Take an Authentic Cooking Class in Japan

As if your family needs another reason to plan a trip to Japan, here is one more. For foodie families with a taste for authentic cooking, try an authentic, hands-on experience with a local with airKitchen.

Think Airbnb for foodies, airKitchen enlists Japanese locals with a flair for cooking to become a host and teach in-home lessons on their favorite family recipes. Everything from expert-level lessons in sushi-making and homemade noodles to handmade tempura, ramen and dumplings is on the menu. Essentially anything a foodie can dream of, airKitchen has a host to teach it. Watch the kids learn to roll sushi, make it a couple’s date or make some memories with the older kids over noodles.

The site boasts an incredibly simple concept. Travels can easily shop around, depending on the destination they are visiting and meal they would like to prepare. Guests read reviews, cook times, price per person, area information and anything else that would inform their cooking lesson decision and book online.

With lessons in homes across Japan, your family will have their work cut out for them in narrowing down a locale, let alone settling on a dish. Choose from Japan’s stunning cities and rural regions with airKitchen hosts across the country, including Aichi/Nagoya, Nara, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Chiba, Kanagawa/Yokohama, Okinawa, Hyogo/Kobe, Yamanashi and Hiroshima.

Preparation of traditional sushi rolls. Photo: Bravissimos | Dreamstime.com

Side note: For near endless options from beginners to experts, Tokyo has an incredible number of hosts and menu options for guests across all palates, ages, interests and levels of expertise.

Your host will show you all the menu ingredients, how to clean, prep and arrange your cooking items and any important techniques and practices to make your dish. Follow along as they visually show you the process during each hands-on instruction. Roll your own dough for dumplings and steam your own impossibly thin vegetables for homemade soup with the family.

Think of it as looking at a family recipe from that Japanese relative you never see.

Classes typically run $27–65 per person and include everything the soon-to-be chef needs for the meal. Read more about the different dishes, prices, skill level necessary and authentic cuisine and cultural experiences aspiring foodies can have in Japan with airKitchen.