About this tour
When Em from our Global Hobo crew booked this workshop, we headed to a residential pocket of Yokohama to learn wagashi—those delicate Japanese sweets—from Ikuyo, a host with four decades of tea ceremony practice and 15 years teaching sweets-making. The whole thing unfolds over two hours in her private home, which is genuinely unusual if you've spent your travels in hotels and tourist centres. You'll make seasonal varieties (nerikiri, gyuhi, manju) depending on what's growing, then sit down with matcha to eat what you've crafted. Most wagashi are naturally vegan and gluten-free, so dietary restrictions aren't a headache here.
Highlights
- Step inside a working Japanese home—not a commercial studio or hotel function room
- Learn three or four types of wagashi from a host with 15 years' teaching experience
- Eat your own sweets paired with matcha tea ceremony afterwards
- Seasonal variety means each visit teaches you different plants and flavours
- Most wagashi are vegan and gluten-free without compromise or fuss
- Easy reach by public transport from central Yokohama
What to expect
Ikuyo meets you in her home kitchen, unpacks the ingredients (all prepped and ready), and walks you through the hand techniques for shaping and colouring dough. The pace is relaxed and methodical—she's patient with absolute beginners. You'll mix, fold, press, and shape, getting a feel for the texture and precision Japanese sweets demand. Once you've finished a batch, you move to the tea ceremony moment: matcha whisked fresh, and your creations set out to enjoy while they're at their best.
The two-hour window is tight but honest—you're not churning out dozens, just understanding the craft and savouring the result. The Yokohama suburb is quiet and residential, so the whole vibe is intimate rather than frantic. Em found the home welcoming and the teaching clear, even if your Japanese is patchy.
What travellers say
- Rare access to a Japanese private home and family kitchen
- Host's 15 years teaching means clear, patient instruction
- Seasonal wagashi varieties teach you Japanese plants and calendar
- Vegan and gluten-free by default, no awkward substitutions
- Matcha finale ties sweets-making to tea ceremony tradition
- Two hours is introductory—not enough to master multiple techniques
- Home setting may involve floor-sitting or tight spaces
- Limited transport info; allow buffer time for local navigation
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This is genuinely rare—most travellers never see the inside of a Japanese home, let alone cook in one. Ikuyo's decades of experience shine through, and the matcha finale ties the two traditions together neatly. If you're vegan or gluten-free, you won't need to explain or compromise; wagashi is already there.
Two hours is enough to learn but not to master; expect to focus on one or two techniques rather than an encyclopaedia. The workshop assumes some physical comfort (kneeling or sitting on the floor is likely, depending on her setup). Early mornings may be required depending on scheduling. Public transport gets you there fine, but factor in local navigation time. Best suited to solo travellers, couples, or small groups who aren't rushed.
Bring an open mind and clean hands. All ingredients and tools are supplied. Expect a small, intimate group or one-on-one depending on bookings.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original Global Hobo summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.