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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Sakura

Sapporo, Japan

USD
$34-$59 per person

Authentic Japanese Cooking Class in the Heart of Sapporo

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

Meet Sakura

A true Hokkaido local, Sakura was born and raised in Chitose, a neighboring city of Sapporo. Her passion for cooking developed when she got married and had a child as she valued making healthy, well-balanced meals using fresh, seasonal produce for her loved ones. Sakura fell deeper in love with cooking when she watched her family enjoy her meals, and thus began her quest to learn about different cooking techniques used around the world. She is always curious about what people of other cultures cook and eat and enjoys meeting new people and sharing new experiences. Cooking for people brings Sakura joy and and she is excited to meet Traveling Spoon guests from all over the world and share homemade Japanese cuisine with them.

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) Meet your host Sakura at her beautiful apartment, located in a peaceful residential area within a ten-minute walk from the Higashi-Sapporo station. Relax over a welcome drink before joining Sakura for a homestyle Japanese meal. Her husband who is originally from the U.S. and their son might join you for a fun family meal when they are present. Your menu might include dishes such as chikuzenni (chicken and vegetables stewed in soy and mirin), miso soup, dashimaki tamago (egg roll cooked with dashi stock), and hand shaped onigiri (rice balls). Your meal will conclude with a cup of freshly brewed tea. Please note that the menu may vary depending on the season and availability of fresh ingredients in the market.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Join Sakura in her Sapporo kitchen for a hands-on Japanese home cooking experience. In this welcoming class, you'll learn how to prepare 2–3 authentic, everyday Japanese dishes that are simple, flavorful, and easy to recreate in your own kitchen. Consider it a Japanese home cooking 101 lesson! You’ll cook together for about 1 to 1.5 hours, followed by a shared meal around the dining table with Sakura. This experience is ideal for beginner cooks and those looking to connect with Japanese culture through casual, home-style cuisine.

Notes: This is a child friendly experience!

Languages spoken: English, 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.
  • Chikuzenni (chicken and vegetables stewed in soy and mirin)
  • Dashimaki tamago (egg roll cooked with dashi stock)
  • Miso soup
  • Onigiri (rice balls)

Traveler reviews

4.73 (11)
Good experience with the cooking class. The host has good patience, even though the event was delayed due to the navigation of the place not being according to the website description (not the host's fault, but the company's). When you try to contact the host via email (according to the website), it can take several minutes of delay. Here it is good that before the event you have contacted the host. Finally Sakura-san came to pick me up, which was very kind. Similarly on the way home she went with me to the nearest train station to lead me to the right destination. As a result, all the dishes were made according to the descriptions. But there were two more dishes that were (bonus) not planned. But I am happy to try them. In summary, it was a good experience, despite the complications. But the host is helpful and helped me. In addition to the authentic food (which some claim to be simple), there were dishes that were prepared with love. The host gave good advice on Japanese food and typical food related to Sapporo and Hokkaido. //Minh
- Minh July 10, 2025
Sakura was so kind and treated me like family, she made me feel so welcome and the food was amazing. 100/10Thank you Sakura!
- Stan June 07, 2025
Great class with a friendly host Very interesting home cooking class with Sakura. It was fun to learn about “regular” home cooking techniques and share a delicious meal together afterwards.
- Josian June 01, 2025
It was not as interactive as expected. The dishes were simple & uninspiring with very little taste. Would not recommend for visitors who are foodies and knowledgeable about cooking.

Traveling Spoon Response: Dear Lori, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. At Traveling Spoon, we aim to connect travelers with warm local hosts for meaningful cultural and culinary exchanges, and we understand that every guest brings their own preferences and expectations to the table. We’ve shared your comments with our host, Sakura, who also expressed regret that the experience didn’t resonate with you. She shared that you arrived much earlier than expected, and while she encourages guests to be hands-on in her classes, it seemed there may have been a mismatch in expectations around participation and the style of cooking. Sakura focuses on teaching simple, approachable home recipes - meals that busy individuals can recreate in their own kitchens, rather than restaurant-style cuisine. We understand that you had requested tempura shortly before the class, which is not part of Sakura’s usual menu. Although she took time to prepare for this special request, it may not have reflected the same level of confidence and refinement as her standard dishes. We appreciate your honesty and will use your feedback to help us better set expectations for future guests, especially those seeking more advanced or gourmet-level instruction. We’ve already updated the experience description to note that this class is ideal for beginner cooks, in order to help set clearer expectations for future guests and ensure the best possible fit. Thank you again, and we wish you many wonderful culinary experiences ahead.
- Loriely12 May 30, 2025
Great experience of Japanese home cooking and culture. I’d recommend it to anyone. The host was wonderful
- Annette May 21, 2025
Had a wonderful time cooking with Sakura in her home. It was a great way to learn more about Japanese culture and life in Hokkaido all while also learning some great recipes to bring back home.
- Bjorn May 01, 2025
Tasty Experience. My GF and I just had a wonderful cooking class with Sakura in her nice home. She is a great cook and made the recipe seem simple. Sakura even gave us copies of the recipes. Everything we tried was very tasty.
- Roger1251 March 08, 2025
Chef Sakura was very patient with me! I ended up losing my way for a while and ended up being quite late for my reservation. Take it from me, use the Google link provided in the description! It will make your trip sooo much easier than copying the address! Once I got to the correct location, Chef Sakura allowed me time to cool down from being lost and we went over what we would be cooking that day. Chef Sakura made the local dishes very easy to cook and answered all the little questions I had along the way with precision and kindness! After we finished cooking, we sat down and enjoyed the meal together! If you are looking for a great way to learn local dishes, Chef Sakura is definitely the one to book!
- Stephen December 07, 2024
A very pleasant moment where we learnt the basics of the Japanese food with nice hosts. It was a moment apart with open discussion and a good way to discover Japan outside of the standard path.
- TiTom September 30, 2024
Really enjoyed our time with Sakura and her family. We felt very at home and our kids had a great time. Food was yummy and we learned a lot!
- Sam_W February 24, 2024
We had a nice time visiting with Sakura and her family. Sakura was helpful and informative, and her son was absolutely adorable. I would've loved recipes for the additional dishes served, especially the sesame spinach.
- July 15, 2019
Read More
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Sakura

$34-$59 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
In-Home Meal
 $49 $41 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $59 $49 $39
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $41 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $59 $49 $39
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm

Meet Sakura

A true Hokkaido local, Sakura was born and raised in Chitose, a neighboring city of Sapporo. Her passion for cooking developed when she got married and had a child as she valued making healthy, well-balanced meals using fresh, seasonal produce for her loved ones. Sakura fell deeper in love with cooking when she watched her family enjoy her meals, and thus began her quest to learn about different cooking techniques used around the world. She is always curious about what people of other cultures cook and eat and enjoys meeting new people and sharing new experiences. Cooking for people brings Sakura joy and and she is excited to meet Traveling Spoon guests from all over the world and share homemade Japanese cuisine with them.

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) Meet your host Sakura at her beautiful apartment, located in a peaceful residential area within a ten-minute walk from the Higashi-Sapporo station. Relax over a welcome drink before joining Sakura for a homestyle Japanese meal. Her husband who is originally from the U.S. and their son might join you for a fun family meal when they are present. Your menu might include dishes such as chikuzenni (chicken and vegetables stewed in soy and mirin), miso soup, dashimaki tamago (egg roll cooked with dashi stock), and hand shaped onigiri (rice balls). Your meal will conclude with a cup of freshly brewed tea. Please note that the menu may vary depending on the season and availability of fresh ingredients in the market.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Join Sakura in her Sapporo kitchen for a hands-on Japanese home cooking experience. In this welcoming class, you'll learn how to prepare 2–3 authentic, everyday Japanese dishes that are simple, flavorful, and easy to recreate in your own kitchen. Consider it a Japanese home cooking 101 lesson! You’ll cook together for about 1 to 1.5 hours, followed by a shared meal around the dining table with Sakura. This experience is ideal for beginner cooks and those looking to connect with Japanese culture through casual, home-style cuisine.

Notes: This is a child friendly experience!

Languages spoken: English, 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.
  • Chikuzenni (chicken and vegetables stewed in soy and mirin)
  • Dashimaki tamago (egg roll cooked with dashi stock)
  • Miso soup
  • Onigiri (rice balls)

Traveler reviews

4.73 (11)
Good experience with the cooking class. The host has good patience, even though the event was delayed due to the navigation of the place not being according to the website description (not the host's fault, but the company's). When you try to contact the host via email (according to the website), it can take several minutes of delay. Here it is good that before the event you have contacted the host. Finally Sakura-san came to pick me up, which was very kind. Similarly on the way home she went with me to the nearest train station to lead me to the right destination. As a result, all the dishes were made according to the descriptions. But there were two more dishes that were (bonus) not planned. But I am happy to try them. In summary, it was a good experience, despite the complications. But the host is helpful and helped me. In addition to the authentic food (which some claim to be simple), there were dishes that were prepared with love. The host gave good advice on Japanese food and typical food related to Sapporo and Hokkaido. //Minh
- Minh July 10, 2025
Sakura was so kind and treated me like family, she made me feel so welcome and the food was amazing. 100/10Thank you Sakura!
- Stan June 07, 2025
Great class with a friendly host Very interesting home cooking class with Sakura. It was fun to learn about “regular” home cooking techniques and share a delicious meal together afterwards.
- Josian June 01, 2025
It was not as interactive as expected. The dishes were simple & uninspiring with very little taste. Would not recommend for visitors who are foodies and knowledgeable about cooking.

Traveling Spoon Response: Dear Lori, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. At Traveling Spoon, we aim to connect travelers with warm local hosts for meaningful cultural and culinary exchanges, and we understand that every guest brings their own preferences and expectations to the table. We’ve shared your comments with our host, Sakura, who also expressed regret that the experience didn’t resonate with you. She shared that you arrived much earlier than expected, and while she encourages guests to be hands-on in her classes, it seemed there may have been a mismatch in expectations around participation and the style of cooking. Sakura focuses on teaching simple, approachable home recipes - meals that busy individuals can recreate in their own kitchens, rather than restaurant-style cuisine. We understand that you had requested tempura shortly before the class, which is not part of Sakura’s usual menu. Although she took time to prepare for this special request, it may not have reflected the same level of confidence and refinement as her standard dishes. We appreciate your honesty and will use your feedback to help us better set expectations for future guests, especially those seeking more advanced or gourmet-level instruction. We’ve already updated the experience description to note that this class is ideal for beginner cooks, in order to help set clearer expectations for future guests and ensure the best possible fit. Thank you again, and we wish you many wonderful culinary experiences ahead.
- Loriely12 May 30, 2025
Great experience of Japanese home cooking and culture. I’d recommend it to anyone. The host was wonderful
- Annette May 21, 2025
Had a wonderful time cooking with Sakura in her home. It was a great way to learn more about Japanese culture and life in Hokkaido all while also learning some great recipes to bring back home.
- Bjorn May 01, 2025
Tasty Experience. My GF and I just had a wonderful cooking class with Sakura in her nice home. She is a great cook and made the recipe seem simple. Sakura even gave us copies of the recipes. Everything we tried was very tasty.
- Roger1251 March 08, 2025
Chef Sakura was very patient with me! I ended up losing my way for a while and ended up being quite late for my reservation. Take it from me, use the Google link provided in the description! It will make your trip sooo much easier than copying the address! Once I got to the correct location, Chef Sakura allowed me time to cool down from being lost and we went over what we would be cooking that day. Chef Sakura made the local dishes very easy to cook and answered all the little questions I had along the way with precision and kindness! After we finished cooking, we sat down and enjoyed the meal together! If you are looking for a great way to learn local dishes, Chef Sakura is definitely the one to book!
- Stephen December 07, 2024
A very pleasant moment where we learnt the basics of the Japanese food with nice hosts. It was a moment apart with open discussion and a good way to discover Japan outside of the standard path.
- TiTom September 30, 2024
Really enjoyed our time with Sakura and her family. We felt very at home and our kids had a great time. Food was yummy and we learned a lot!
- Sam_W February 24, 2024
We had a nice time visiting with Sakura and her family. Sakura was helpful and informative, and her son was absolutely adorable. I would've loved recipes for the additional dishes served, especially the sesame spinach.
- July 15, 2019
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $41 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $59 $49 $39
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $49 $41 $34
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $59 $49 $39
Alcohol
 $6 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:30am-1:30pm
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.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    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.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    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.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.