About this tour
When Ben from our team booked this sushi-making class in Japan, we got two hours with Shinichi Kono, a sushi chef with three decades under his belt. You'll learn the fundamentals of rolling, pressing, and shaping rice and fish the proper way — not a dumbed-down tourist version, but genuine technique taught in a real working restaurant. The space is intimate, the knives and ingredients are genuinely high-grade, and you'll walk away with sushi and tamagoyaki you've actually made yourself, plus a bowl of soup. It's the kind of class where you understand why precision matters in Japanese cooking.
Highlights
- Hands-on instruction from a 30-year sushi veteran
- Learn rice seasoning, nori handling, and rolling pressure
- High-grade knives and ingredients — the real deal
- Eat what you've made at the end
- Set in an actual sushi restaurant, not a tourist kitchen
- Tamagoyaki (Japanese egg omelette) technique included
- Small-group format means individual attention
What to expect
You'll arrive at a proper sushi restaurant and get straight into fundamentals. Shinichi walks you through rice preparation — how it should feel, how to season it, how much to use — before moving to rolling. There's repetition here, which is the point; your first roll won't be perfect, but by the end you'll feel the difference between guessing and knowing. The pacing is deliberate rather than rushed. Expect your hands to get sticky, your grip to tire a bit, and a genuine moment when you realise how much skill goes into something that looks simple.
You'll prepare a few pieces, then sit down to eat your own work alongside tamagoyaki you've also made and a soup. There's no faffing about with props or fake enthusiasm — it's a working restaurant, and the focus stays on technique and taste.
What travellers say
- Genuine expertise — three-decade veteran chef, not a hired instructor
- You eat what you've made — real payoff at the end
- Working restaurant setting keeps it authentic and grounded
- High-grade ingredients and knives, not compromise tools
- Small-group attention means Shinichi corrects your grip, not just talks
- Teaches the 'why' behind technique, not just the 'how'
- Not suitable for pregnant travellers or those with poor cardiovascular health
- Two hours is introductory — don't expect mastery
- Raw fish component — declare allergies well in advance
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 legitimate instruction from someone who's spent decades refining his craft, not a quick-fix tourist class. You'll understand Japanese sushi culture in a tangible way, and the meal you eat at the end is genuinely yours. The restaurant setting and quality equipment elevate the whole experience. Suits anyone curious about Japanese food preparation, foodies wanting real skill-building, or travellers after something more substantive than a standard cooking demo.
The class involves standing, hand-use, and fine motor control — not ideal if you have cardiovascular concerns or are pregnant. Two hours is enough to learn basics but not master rolling; don't expect to leave a sushi chef. Declare any food allergies or dislikes upfront (sushi involves raw fish, obviously). Public transport is nearby, so that's straightforward; prams are fine if you're bringing little ones. What's included: sushi you make, tamagoyaki, soup. Bring nothing except your hands and focus.
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.