Small-Group Market tour and cooking class in Osaka with a local expert

Meet Masato

Masato, also known as Max, lived in New York for 25 years before moving to Japan in 2010. He now teaches English to locals and Japanese to expats. With a diverse background in the food industry, he has worked as a sushi chef in New York, owned a Hawaiian café in Osaka, and operated a Takoyaki bar near Dotonbori. On days when Masato is unavailable, his equally warm and passionate colleagues, Shohei or Chiyoe who are avid travelers and food lovers, will host you. Masato, Shohei, and Chiyoe all share a deep love for Japanese cuisine and are eager to teach guests about traditional ingredients, cooking techniques, culinary traditions, and culture. Your Japanese cooking class in Osaka takes place in a professional cooking studio within an apartment. It’s a welcoming experience, perfect for beginners, families, children, and couples. The hosts’ goal is to make cooking both easy and enjoyable, helping you gain new skills while immersing yourself in the art of Japanese cuisine.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (1-13 guests) Osaka is renowned as a culinary haven, making it the perfect place to immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine. In this shared, hands-on, two-hour cooking class, you’ll learn to prepare three authentic Japanese dishes from scratch, guided by your expert host while discovering traditional Japanese cooking techniques and cultural insights. After cooking, sit down to enjoy the delicious meal you’ve created. When booking your Osaka cooking class, please indicate your menu preference. If no preference is specified, the default class will be a sushi-making experience. The sushi class features a unique selection of ingredients, including tamagoyaki (rolled Japanese omelet), Wagyu beef, and a variety of seasonal Japanese vegetables such as lotus root, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms. Please note that raw fish is NOT included in this class.

Market visit: (1-13 guests) Meet your host at Matsuyamachi train station and take a short 5-7 minute walk to Karahori Shotengai, a historic covered shopping street in Osaka. This vibrant market is lined with small stalls and shops selling fresh produce, local delicacies, and unique souvenirs - a perfect place to explore Japanese ingredients and condiments while picking up a few gifts to take home if you like. Your 30-minute, small-group market tour begins at a local supermarket, where you'll get an introduction to essential Japanese ingredients. From there, stroll through the bustling fish, vegetable, and fruit markets as your host shares insights into the seasonal produce and its role in Japanese cuisine. Along the way, you might enjoy a sweet snack like dango (dumplings) or dorayaki (pancakes) and stop by a traditional dashi or kombu shop to learn about the foundations of Japanese flavors. After the market tour, return to the cooking studio, where you'll put your newfound knowledge to use, preparing and enjoying a delicious meal together.

NOTE: If you choose a market tour and cooking class experience, you will decide your menu along with your host at the market.

Notes: Your host can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request. Please let him know if you have any dietary restrictions in advance, while booking your Osaka cooking class online.
Your host is flexible on timings between 10am - 8pm so if the default times do not work for you, feel free to request your host to start at a different time.
On days when Masato is unavailable, an equally wonderful chef colleague will host you.

Languages spoken: English, Japanese

Sample menu

• Please choose 1 menu from the below options:
• Menu 1 (Sushi Course - Default): Maki Sushi, Wagyu Sushi, Chirashi Sushi, Miso Soup, Souvenir
• Menu 2 (Tempura Course): Prawn Tempura, Seasonal Vegetables or Mushrooms, Gomae-e, Miso Soup, Bowl Rice, Souvenir
• Menu 3 (Ramen and Gyoza): Ramen, Toppings of Ramen, Gyoza Dumpling, Souvenir
• Menu 4 (Osaka Festival Course): Takoyaki making with Takoyaki maker; Yakisoba and Karaage will be served by the owner, Souvenir

Traveler reviews

Great personable experience! We learned a lot about Japanese culture while cooking three separate dishes and miso soup. Samurai Max is the perfect host. He contacted us ahead of time for preferences and made sure we had no allergy issues. By explaining the seasonings and sauces we will be able to replicated what we learned. We had teens that he engaged throughout the process, making it fun for them. His cooking studio is close to other major activities and we did a photo shoot with another vendor after to complete the evening. He went the extra mile to make sure my son got what he wanted at nearby market too!

- Katie_W July 02, 2024