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Host: Masako

Tokyo, Japan

USD
$100-$134 per person

Traditional Japanese cooking class in Tokyo, Adachi City

Host offerings
  • Cooking studio
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Masako

Masako grew up watching her mother and grandmother prepare traditional Japanese cuisine. She was a curious child, who always asked questions about each ingredient used in the dish. As a traveler who has experienced local cuisine and unique cultures around the world, she hope's to introduce travelers to authentic Japanese culture and home cooking. She has renovated a 90-year-old traditional Japanese house in Kita-Senju, where she conducts cooking classes for travelers. It has a kitchen, a spacious dining room, and a tatami room (a traditional Japanese room where you can stretch your legs and relax), decorated with Japanese calligraphy and traditional dolls. You can get a real feel for the interior of a typical Japanese home and taste authentic home cooking, simple Japanese food she grew up eating.

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.

In-home meal: (1-6 guests) You will be welcomed with a cup of green tea and watch as Masako writes your name in Kanji (Japanese calligraphy), she is a qualified calligraphy professional! She cooks simple and nutritious dishes for her family. And her wish is to provide easy-to-prepare dishes that guests can easily re-create back home! Masako offers four menu choices for your meal. See the sample menu below for details and make sure to send her a message stating which meal you would prefer.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Join Masako in her kitchen and learn to cook authentic Japanese recipes from scratch. In your Japanese cooking class in Tokyo learn to make udon from scratch. You will be kneading the dough with your hands (and feet) and turning it into noodles. It is hard work but worth it to get heavenly homemade udon noodles, far superior to store-bought ones. Other meal options that you can choose from (instead of udon noodles) in your cooking class are okonomiyaki or tempura or Japanese sweets. Please let Masako know your preference when you create your booking. Dishes will be cooked using some fresh, seasonal ingredients from the farmers market in Niigata. After cooking, you will enjoy a sit-down meal that ends with sweet homemade plum or yuzu sake.

Notes: Since Masako speaks limited English, her translator will be present during your experience. Please note that Masako does not accept children for a cooking class for safety reasons.

Languages spoken: Japanese

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose one menu from the below options
  • Menu A: Udon + sides
  • Menu B: Okonomiyaki + sides
  • Menu C: Tempura + sides
  • Menu D: Japanese Sweets (dessert only)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (18)
Our cooking class with Masako was one of my family's highlights of our Japan trip! It was so special to get off the "beaten path" of touristy activities and learn how to cook with Masako in her home. Masako was so kind and generous to our family and made us feel so welcomed and supported as we learned to cook udon noodles and soup, tamagoyaki, and vegetable/shrimp tempura. She is an excellent teacher! We just returned home from our trip and have already made tamagoyaki in our own kitchen using the techniques Masako taught us. Highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking an authentic local experience. Thank you Masako!!
- Beatrice August 17, 2024
Our cooking class with Masako was one of my family's highlights of our Japan trip! It was so special to get off the "beaten path" of touristy activities and learn how to cook with Masako in her home. Masako was so kind and generous to our family and made us feel so welcomed and supported as we learned to cook udon noodles and soup, tamagoyaki, and vegetable/shrimp tempura. She is an excellent teacher! We just returned home from our trip and have already made tamagoyaki in our own kitchen using the techniques Masako taught us. Highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking an authentic local experience. Thank you Masako!!
- Beatrice August 17, 2024
The udon was delicious. Masako was very knowledgeable. We were able to learn how to make tamagoyaki, tempura, and dashi. She was very sweet and we had a great time with her. My sons thoroughly enjoyed the cooking class. Would recommend this class.
- Shirley May 31, 2024
A fantastic experience! Really enjoyed the food and company. Great job!!! Recommend this experience. Come hungry!
- Kathryn April 16, 2024
Fantastic experience. It was enjoyable making udon from scratch and this was the highlight of the experience. We also made and ate tempura and tamago yaki. We finished the evening with a demonstration of calligraphy.
- Shunpe April 15, 2024
Masako's Japanese Cooking and Udon Making Class in Tokyo deserves a solid 5 stars! Not only is she a skilled cook and master calligrapher, but her English is impressive, making explanations clear and enjoyable. I learned a lot, enjoyed a delicious meal, and the personalized touch of my Japanese name and words of wisdom was the perfect finale. Highly recommend!
- Walter_L March 09, 2024
Masako is an amazing cook and an excellent teacher. No need for a translator. She was very knowledable and it was a very fast pace cooking lesson. We will definitely be checking in the next time we fly back.
- jennifer January 16, 2024
Masako is an amazing cook and an excellent teacher. No need for a translator. She was very knowledable and it was a very fast pace cooking lesson. We will definitely be checking in the next time we fly back.
- jennifer January 16, 2024
We had a fabulous time throughout the whole experience. Masako is an excellent host. She taught us how to make Udon noodle, tamago, and tempura from scratch, shared her family recipes, and showed us her calligraphy skills. She was warm, patient, and fun. All the food turned out delicious. They were simple to make but we learned some new techniques from her. It was without a doubt one of the most memorable experiences and dinners we had in our many trips to Tokyo.
- Lan_Y December 22, 2023
It was such an incredible experience. Masako made us feel right at home and guided us step by step. It has been the highlight of our trip.
- Zoila E June 22, 2023
I was so jazzed to see the inside of a real Japanese house, so that was a rich experience. Masako was so kind, and, contrary to the event description, she did not use or need a translator! I loved how she juggled the 4 of us to do different tasks. And the final lunch was splendid! Highly recommend -- even my headed 14-year-old niece loved it!
- Farah_F June 10, 2023
Masako was welcoming and knowledgeable - we had a wonderful evening of hands on cooking of generous portions of delicious food. She taught us well so that I am confident in my ability to replicate the dishes and amooking forward to doing so. Doomo arigato gozaimasu Masako San!
- M3311KZ June 05, 2023
Wow what an amazing evening! It was an actual typhoon outside so getting there kind of sucked (kinda far north) but once we got in there, it’s like we walked into paradise. The woman was already so nice offering water/tea. We started making udon dough right away. Lots of kneading. Then we made tamogoyaki (eggs with sugar and miso). Each person got to make their own which was fun! We then fried a bunch of vegetables and learned some tricks of the trade. We cut up the udon dough to make noodles and cooked them. Lastly we got two different kinds of wonderful sake. We thought that was it and were extremely happy about it but there was more. The woman made us a fan with symbols that resembled us and our names. It was honestly really beautiful. THEN we got the small pan for frying the eggs as a gift! This class was incredible - all the small touches made this top notch. Lastly to top it all off, the woman’s friend was there make it all with us and he drove us home! Which was truly the icing on the cake when it was pouring rain and a 45 minute commute. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
- Ali_W June 02, 2023
This was such a great experience!! The class took place right in Masako's home. She was so welcoming and a wonderful teacher. My adult kids and I were the only ones participating on that evening. We made an egg/miso appetizer to start, and then began working to create our udon noodle dish. I learned many different tips on kneading dough. We also made tempura vegetables and shrimp. It was such a fun time; she was such an engaging teacher. At the end, she even hand-crafted individual fans with our names in Japanese characters! I highly recommend this class!
- Alice A April 12, 2023
Masako was so lovely and very knowledgeable. We had some of the tastiest udon served with multiple other dishes and a few other surprises. Come hungry! I can't wait to go home and try replicating what we learnt
- Tav R April 05, 2023
I highly recommend this cooking class with Masako! It is so much more than just a noodle class!! Miasako is delightful and taught us how to make noodles, tempura, miso soup, and other things that I can’t remember the name of. Come to this class hungry because there is so much food!!!
- Joanhi March 31, 2023
My girlfriend and I met up with Masako to learn how to make udon noodles from scratch and fry tempura. She added on how to make the classic omellete as well as miso soup and dashi. Hearing about how she learned how to make these recipes from her mother and the general conversation eere reqlly interesting. At the end she gave us some sightseeing tips and a souvenir! I would definitely reccomend her to anyone interested in a cooking class. It was very personal and a highlight of our trip.
- Adventure63239239076 November 01, 2018
Masako met us at the station and took us through the little streets near Asakusa (old Asakusa where the Geisha are, very traditional Japan) to her studio. We cooked our brains out for a couple of hours - tamago yaki, tempura and of course udon (quite a process to make it from scratch) - all delicious. Masako finished the evening by writing out our names in hiragana and kanji. Definitely a fun experience! You should go.
- NOTLGeoff November 01, 2018
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Masako

$100-$134 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $112 $100
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $112 $100
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Masako

Masako grew up watching her mother and grandmother prepare traditional Japanese cuisine. She was a curious child, who always asked questions about each ingredient used in the dish. As a traveler who has experienced local cuisine and unique cultures around the world, she hope's to introduce travelers to authentic Japanese culture and home cooking. She has renovated a 90-year-old traditional Japanese house in Kita-Senju, where she conducts cooking classes for travelers. It has a kitchen, a spacious dining room, and a tatami room (a traditional Japanese room where you can stretch your legs and relax), decorated with Japanese calligraphy and traditional dolls. You can get a real feel for the interior of a typical Japanese home and taste authentic home cooking, simple Japanese food she grew up eating.

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.

In-home meal: (1-6 guests) You will be welcomed with a cup of green tea and watch as Masako writes your name in Kanji (Japanese calligraphy), she is a qualified calligraphy professional! She cooks simple and nutritious dishes for her family. And her wish is to provide easy-to-prepare dishes that guests can easily re-create back home! Masako offers four menu choices for your meal. See the sample menu below for details and make sure to send her a message stating which meal you would prefer.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Join Masako in her kitchen and learn to cook authentic Japanese recipes from scratch. In your Japanese cooking class in Tokyo learn to make udon from scratch. You will be kneading the dough with your hands (and feet) and turning it into noodles. It is hard work but worth it to get heavenly homemade udon noodles, far superior to store-bought ones. Other meal options that you can choose from (instead of udon noodles) in your cooking class are okonomiyaki or tempura or Japanese sweets. Please let Masako know your preference when you create your booking. Dishes will be cooked using some fresh, seasonal ingredients from the farmers market in Niigata. After cooking, you will enjoy a sit-down meal that ends with sweet homemade plum or yuzu sake.

Notes: Since Masako speaks limited English, her translator will be present during your experience. Please note that Masako does not accept children for a cooking class for safety reasons.

Languages spoken: Japanese

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Please choose one menu from the below options
  • Menu A: Udon + sides
  • Menu B: Okonomiyaki + sides
  • Menu C: Tempura + sides
  • Menu D: Japanese Sweets (dessert only)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (18)
Our cooking class with Masako was one of my family's highlights of our Japan trip! It was so special to get off the "beaten path" of touristy activities and learn how to cook with Masako in her home. Masako was so kind and generous to our family and made us feel so welcomed and supported as we learned to cook udon noodles and soup, tamagoyaki, and vegetable/shrimp tempura. She is an excellent teacher! We just returned home from our trip and have already made tamagoyaki in our own kitchen using the techniques Masako taught us. Highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking an authentic local experience. Thank you Masako!!
- Beatrice August 17, 2024
Our cooking class with Masako was one of my family's highlights of our Japan trip! It was so special to get off the "beaten path" of touristy activities and learn how to cook with Masako in her home. Masako was so kind and generous to our family and made us feel so welcomed and supported as we learned to cook udon noodles and soup, tamagoyaki, and vegetable/shrimp tempura. She is an excellent teacher! We just returned home from our trip and have already made tamagoyaki in our own kitchen using the techniques Masako taught us. Highly recommend this experience to anyone seeking an authentic local experience. Thank you Masako!!
- Beatrice August 17, 2024
The udon was delicious. Masako was very knowledgeable. We were able to learn how to make tamagoyaki, tempura, and dashi. She was very sweet and we had a great time with her. My sons thoroughly enjoyed the cooking class. Would recommend this class.
- Shirley May 31, 2024
A fantastic experience! Really enjoyed the food and company. Great job!!! Recommend this experience. Come hungry!
- Kathryn April 16, 2024
Fantastic experience. It was enjoyable making udon from scratch and this was the highlight of the experience. We also made and ate tempura and tamago yaki. We finished the evening with a demonstration of calligraphy.
- Shunpe April 15, 2024
Masako's Japanese Cooking and Udon Making Class in Tokyo deserves a solid 5 stars! Not only is she a skilled cook and master calligrapher, but her English is impressive, making explanations clear and enjoyable. I learned a lot, enjoyed a delicious meal, and the personalized touch of my Japanese name and words of wisdom was the perfect finale. Highly recommend!
- Walter_L March 09, 2024
Masako is an amazing cook and an excellent teacher. No need for a translator. She was very knowledable and it was a very fast pace cooking lesson. We will definitely be checking in the next time we fly back.
- jennifer January 16, 2024
Masako is an amazing cook and an excellent teacher. No need for a translator. She was very knowledable and it was a very fast pace cooking lesson. We will definitely be checking in the next time we fly back.
- jennifer January 16, 2024
We had a fabulous time throughout the whole experience. Masako is an excellent host. She taught us how to make Udon noodle, tamago, and tempura from scratch, shared her family recipes, and showed us her calligraphy skills. She was warm, patient, and fun. All the food turned out delicious. They were simple to make but we learned some new techniques from her. It was without a doubt one of the most memorable experiences and dinners we had in our many trips to Tokyo.
- Lan_Y December 22, 2023
It was such an incredible experience. Masako made us feel right at home and guided us step by step. It has been the highlight of our trip.
- Zoila E June 22, 2023
I was so jazzed to see the inside of a real Japanese house, so that was a rich experience. Masako was so kind, and, contrary to the event description, she did not use or need a translator! I loved how she juggled the 4 of us to do different tasks. And the final lunch was splendid! Highly recommend -- even my headed 14-year-old niece loved it!
- Farah_F June 10, 2023
Masako was welcoming and knowledgeable - we had a wonderful evening of hands on cooking of generous portions of delicious food. She taught us well so that I am confident in my ability to replicate the dishes and amooking forward to doing so. Doomo arigato gozaimasu Masako San!
- M3311KZ June 05, 2023
Wow what an amazing evening! It was an actual typhoon outside so getting there kind of sucked (kinda far north) but once we got in there, it’s like we walked into paradise. The woman was already so nice offering water/tea. We started making udon dough right away. Lots of kneading. Then we made tamogoyaki (eggs with sugar and miso). Each person got to make their own which was fun! We then fried a bunch of vegetables and learned some tricks of the trade. We cut up the udon dough to make noodles and cooked them. Lastly we got two different kinds of wonderful sake. We thought that was it and were extremely happy about it but there was more. The woman made us a fan with symbols that resembled us and our names. It was honestly really beautiful. THEN we got the small pan for frying the eggs as a gift! This class was incredible - all the small touches made this top notch. Lastly to top it all off, the woman’s friend was there make it all with us and he drove us home! Which was truly the icing on the cake when it was pouring rain and a 45 minute commute. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
- Ali_W June 02, 2023
This was such a great experience!! The class took place right in Masako's home. She was so welcoming and a wonderful teacher. My adult kids and I were the only ones participating on that evening. We made an egg/miso appetizer to start, and then began working to create our udon noodle dish. I learned many different tips on kneading dough. We also made tempura vegetables and shrimp. It was such a fun time; she was such an engaging teacher. At the end, she even hand-crafted individual fans with our names in Japanese characters! I highly recommend this class!
- Alice A April 12, 2023
Masako was so lovely and very knowledgeable. We had some of the tastiest udon served with multiple other dishes and a few other surprises. Come hungry! I can't wait to go home and try replicating what we learnt
- Tav R April 05, 2023
I highly recommend this cooking class with Masako! It is so much more than just a noodle class!! Miasako is delightful and taught us how to make noodles, tempura, miso soup, and other things that I can’t remember the name of. Come to this class hungry because there is so much food!!!
- Joanhi March 31, 2023
My girlfriend and I met up with Masako to learn how to make udon noodles from scratch and fry tempura. She added on how to make the classic omellete as well as miso soup and dashi. Hearing about how she learned how to make these recipes from her mother and the general conversation eere reqlly interesting. At the end she gave us some sightseeing tips and a souvenir! I would definitely reccomend her to anyone interested in a cooking class. It was very personal and a highlight of our trip.
- Adventure63239239076 November 01, 2018
Masako met us at the station and took us through the little streets near Asakusa (old Asakusa where the Geisha are, very traditional Japan) to her studio. We cooked our brains out for a couple of hours - tamago yaki, tempura and of course udon (quite a process to make it from scratch) - all delicious. Masako finished the evening by writing out our names in hiragana and kanji. Definitely a fun experience! You should go.
- NOTLGeoff November 01, 2018
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $112 $100
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $134 $112 $100
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

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    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

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    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

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