Small-group tours, day trips, cooking classes and multi-day adventures. Every tour vetted for traveller reviews first.
A 2.5-hour sushi making class in Tokyo where you'll prepare nigiri, rolls and two side dishes from scratch under instructor guidance. You'll learn about traditional Japanese seasonings and ingredients, receive recipes and a certificate to take home, and get professional photos from the session. Vegetarian options are available if you don't eat fish.
A 90-minute cooking and dining experience in Emika's Kyoto home where you'll prepare and share a traditional Obanzai meal with your host and her family. You'll start with ceremonial matcha tea, then cook dishes using vegetables from the family's organic farm โ expect sushi, miso soup, seasonal side dishes and a sweet. It's an intimate, seasonal meal rather than a set menu, so what you eat depends on the week's harvest and your dietary needs.
When Sarah from our team ran this tour in Kobe, we got the real deal: four hours with an actual sake brewer, not a tour-guide reciting facts. The region's Japan's sake heartland, and this experience takes you past the usual tasting rooms into a working cooperage where craftspeople still shape wooden barrels by hand, then sits you down for a proper guided tasting with food pairings at a local standing bar. You'll taste everything from unpasteurised Nama to barrel-aged and ultra-premium Daiginjo โ the kinds of bottles most visitors never see.
A 3-hour private food walk through Osaka led by a local guide matched to your interests. You'll taste 6โ8 regional Kansai dishesโKobe beef, Tecchiri, and desserts like matcha ice-creamโacross 2โ3 eateries. Your itinerary is set beforehand via questionnaire and direct messaging with your host, but remains flexible on the day, so you steer what you discover and at what pace.
A two-hour hands-on workshop where you'll embroider a temariโa traditional Japanese decorative ballโusing plant-dyed threads in colours you choose. You'll work with a prepared base ball and three thread colours of your selection, creating a one-of-a-kind piece to take home. No prior embroidery experience needed; the workshop suits anyone after an authentic craft skill.
A 2.5-hour private cooking class in Kyoto where you'll prepare Buddhist temple cuisineโplant-based dishes rooted in centuries of Japanese vegan tradition. You'll work with seasonal vegetables, tofu, grains and fermented ingredients to create dishes you won't find in restaurants, learning how Japanese cooks extract depth from simple, local produce rather than heavy techniques or animal proteins.
A 90-minute hands-on sushi class in Kanazawa where you'll learn to shape temari (decorative ball sushi) using local seafood and seasonal vegetables. You'll choose your own toppings, get tips for presentation, then sit down to eat what you've made followed by a brief tea ceremony. All ingredients and equipment are provided, and lunch is included. Guides speak English and Japanese.
A 2-hour sake tasting workshop in Shinjuku where you'll learn to identify aromas, understand temperature's effect on flavour, and taste four distinct sakes paired with a set Japanese menu. Led by a bilingual expert, the session includes a special multi-course meal featuring chicken nanban, miso butter dishes, and sea urchin croquettes, plus access to an all-you-can-drink selection of 20 sakes, beer, and soft drinks.
A 45-minute hands-on painting workshop where you'll decorate your own Maneki-neko (Lucky Cat) figurine in Gotokuji, the Tokyo neighbourhood credited with originating this cultural symbol. You'll use paint pens and stickers to personalise your cat, then take it home the same day. Suitable for all ages and skill levels with no experience needed.
A six-hour hands-on workshop where you design and handcraft a pair of shoes uniquely tailored to you, or place a custom order. Loper's method ditches toxic glues and harsh chemicals โ the uppers bond to soles without solvents, making it safer for both you and the environment. No shoemaking experience needed; the process is open to anyone who wants to spend a day creating something wearable.
A 2.5-hour hands-on cooking class in a real Tokyo home where you'll prepare seasonal Japanese dishes alongside your local host. You'll work in an actual family kitchenโnot a cooking schoolโlearning practical techniques and cultural etiquette as you cook, then sit down to eat what you've made. Suits anyone curious about everyday Japanese domestic life and genuinely interested in learning rather than performing for a camera.
A 2-hour hands-on workshop where you'll create a palm-sized decorative bonsai using dried flowers and faux moss, then enjoy traditional Japanese tea and seasonal sweets in a small-group setting near Sumida River. The finished piece is durable enough for travel or home display, and you'll learn about bonsai culture from an English-speaking instructor in a relaxed atelier space. No prior experience needed.
A 2-hour private walking tour of Tsukiji Fish Market with a local guide who leads you through the market's lively streets and quieter lanes, stopping at three street food stalls for local favourites and visiting a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple. You'll learn about Tsukiji's food culture and spiritual traditions with a guide who knows which spots locals actually eat at, rather than the standard tourist circuit.
A 3-hour guided tour of three sake breweries in Saijo, Hiroshima, where you'll taste distinct brews from each producer and learn about their methods and philosophy. You'll also do a calligraphy session at Sanyotsuru using the same spring water used in sake production, creating a custom label as a keepsake. Best for sake enthusiasts and those curious about Japanese craft traditions.
A weekly Wednesday dinner gathering where you'll join 10โ20 international travellers and local Japanese speakers around a shared table. Over 2.5 hours, you'll eat dinner, drink, and swap travel advice and cultural stories in English with fluent locals present. Solo travellers are actively welcomed, making it an easy way to meet people and pick up practical tips about Tokyo and Japan without needing Japanese language skills.
A one-hour tea ceremony class in Kamakura where you'll prepare and taste matcha while learning the Zen philosophy behind each gesture. Small groups (max 6) work with an English-speaking instructor in an intimate tea room, seven minutes' walk from Kita-Kamakura Station. Suited to first-time visitors, couples, families, and anyone curious about Japanese ritual and mindfulness practice.
A 3-hour private cooking class in a Tokyo home where you learn to prepare one signature Japanese dishโsushi, tofu, or katsu curryโfrom scratch. You'll master technique-specific skills (rice seasoning and shaping for sushi, tofu preparation and cooking methods, or breading and curry-making for katsu), cook a full meal, and eat what you've made alongside soup and sides. Ideal for food-focused travellers wanting hands-on cultural immersion without a large group.
A 3-hour guided food walk through Sugamo, a century-old Tokyo neighbourhood away from main tourist routes. You'll visit five food stops sampling local specialities, eat lunch at a neighbourhood restaurant, and finish with dessert and a drink. The guide is a local English speaker, and the pace and mix of savoury and sweet works equally well for families and keen eaters exploring authentic Tokyo food culture.
A two-hour hands-on lacquer workshop with Naoya Takayama, a master craftsman whose works were gifted at the G7 Summit. You'll learn the history and techniques of Hiroshima's Buddhist altar lacquering tradition, then paint your own piece to take home. Takayama bridges centuries-old methods with contemporary tableware, so you're learning from someone actively evolving the craft rather than simply preserving it.
A 2.5-hour hands-on cooking class in Satoru's Shinjuku apartment where you'll learn to prepare 2โ3 Japanese dishes from scratch, then eat them at his dining table. You'll meet at JR Shinjuku Station and walk to his home together. Menus vary by day of the weekโsushi on Saturdays, donburi or bento on weekendsโand you'll receive a Japanese kitchen utensil and ingredient to take home so you can recreate the dishes yourself.
An 8-hour blacksmithing workshop where you'll forge your own kitchen knife or scissors using traditional Japanese kaji techniques and fire. Based in Shimanto, this hands-on experience lets you work with raw steel and hand tools under instruction, finishing with the option to engrave your piece as a keepsake. Suited to anyone curious about heritage crafts โ no prior metalworking experience needed.
A 1 hour 15 minute tea workshop in Osaka that moves beyond matcha to show how Japanese people actually brew and drink tea daily. You'll taste five different tea styles, learn proper brewing technique with a traditional iron kettle and whole leaves, then explore an unconventional pairing: tea matched with shochu in the style of casual izakaya bars. The experience includes Japanese sweets, a tea cocktail, and recipes you can take home.
When Lily from our BookNow team did this Shibuya food tour, we ate our way through 15 dishes across four proper local spots โ backstreet stall, izakaya, specialist joint, and gastrobar โ in three hours flat. Shibuya's the kind of place where crowds never stop moving, neon signs flicker overhead, and every corner smells like grilled meat or fresh fish. You're walking shoulder-to-shoulder with locals and other travellers, guided by someone who actually knows where the good food hides. It's chaotic, busy, and packed with flavour.
A 2.5-hour hands-on class in Kyoto where you'll learn to craft nerikiri (decorative Japanese sweets) and prepare matcha tea. You'll make five finished pieces to take home, guided step-by-step through traditional techniques. Suited to anyone from curious beginners to those wanting to develop skills for ongoing practice.
A two-hour cooking class in a local Osaka home where you'll prepare okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) in a group of up to five. You'll learn to customise your dish with your choice of fillings, get tips on ingredient swaps for cooking at home, and have the chance to chat with your host about everyday life in Japan. Vegetarian and vegan versions available.
A 2.5-hour private sushi and matcha class in a Japanese home near Sapporo where you'll hand-roll sushi using naturally coloured beet vinegar, create a Mount Fuji-shaped centrepiece roll, then whisk and drink matcha with seasonal sweets. Suited to beginners and anyone wanting hands-on cultural immersion rather than a tourist cooking demo โ you'll work at your own pace in a residential setting, not a commercial kitchen.
A 3.5-hour hands-on sushi class in Kyoto with a professional chef, where you'll learn to make nigiri and rolls, then enjoy your creations alongside tempura, sake tastings, and a matcha ceremony in a traditional garden. You'll start at a local sweets shop, move to an authentic sushi restaurant to work directly with the chef, and finish with whisking matcha paired with wagashi you selected earlierโa complete arc through Japanese culinary tradition rather than a single-skill workshop.
A 90-minute hands-on sushi-making class led by an English-speaking Japanese chef in a 140-year-old converted rice warehouse in Kawagoe. You'll learn to prepare sushi rice and form nigiri under expert guidance, working in a restored historic space with original ceiling beams and period architectural details. Class includes all ingredients and a meal; vegetarian options available with advance notice.
A 90-minute hands-on workshop where you'll learn Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, in central Tokyo. No pottery experience needed. You'll work with an English-speaking instructor to mend your own piece using fast-drying materials, then take it home the same dayโideal for travellers keen to pick up a genuine craft skill and understand the Japanese philosophy of valuing damaged objects rather than discarding them.
A 3โ4 hour small-group walking tour (max 5 people) through Nishinari's backstreets, stopping at three family-run local eateries for authentic dishes and drinks. You'll follow a historic samurai pilgrim route, see street art and retro shopfronts, and hear stories about the neighbourhood's creative energy and community resilience. Unlike standard food tours, this deliberately supports quieter hours at independent businesses and emphasises genuine local connection over tourist circuits.
When Noah from our team ran this Tokyo food tour, we kicked off at Hongan-ji Temple to clock its striking architecture, then made a beeline for Tsukiji Outer Marketโthe city's heartbeat for serious eaters. Over two and a half hours, we worked through three proper tastings: premium wagyu, sashimi, a Japanese omelette, and seasonal fruits. The market hums with wholesale energy; locals and traders move fast, vendors call out their wares, and the whole scene feels genuinely lived-in rather than staged for tourists. We finished at Namiyoke Shrine, where enormous wooden lion heads and local Shinto customs wrapped up the morning with a dose of spiritual grounding.
A 2.5-hour fish-cutting workshop in Kyoto where you'll learn to process raw fish from whole to sashimi-ready under a 20-year veteran fishmonger's guidance. You'll handle knives to break down different species, then eat what you've prepared as lunch. Rare chance to move beyond watching food prep to doing it yourself and understanding Japanese culinary technique from the inside.
A 6โ7 hour customised food and sightseeing tour of Tokyo where you pick 3โ4 attractions and a local guide handles the logistics. You'll walk and use public transport to move like a resident, not a tour bus passenger, visiting spots like Shinjuku Gyoen or Shibuya Crossing while stopping for wagyu lunch and dinner. Suits anyone who wants flexibility over a set itinerary and wants to eat well while exploring.
A 3.5-hour food tour through Namba and Dotonbori led by guides who live in Osaka full-time. You'll eat at five local eateries sampling dishes like takoyaki, kushikatsu, udon and karaage, with two drinks included. Small groups keep the pace relaxed and conversation genuine, avoiding the scripted tourist circuit.
![Traditional Japanese Knife Sharpening Class in Kyoto [EN OK!]](https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-720x480/16/83/de/c8.jpg)
A hands-on 2-hour class teaching traditional Japanese knife sharpening techniques using whetstones. You'll learn steel types and sharpening theory from experienced instructors, then sharpen your own blade under guidance and take it home. Kyoto-based, no prior experience needed โ all tools provided, so arrive empty-handed.
![[New]Japanese Home Meal Cooking Class : Warm Six Dish Experience](https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-720x480/17/0b/e2/35.jpg)
A 3-hour hands-on cooking class where you'll prepare six authentic Japanese home dishes: three types of onigiri, miso soup, tonkatsu, salmon teriyaki, dashimaki tamago, and a seasonal vegetable side. Taught in a small-group setting at Yuzu Washoku Studio, you'll learn core techniques like dashi broth and rice cooking, using ingredients readily available outside Japan so you can recreate these meals at home. Vegetarian, pescatarian, and gluten-free options are available.
A 4-hour private market tour and cooking class in Kyoto where you shop at a local neighbourhood street market with your host Aki, then prepare and eat an authentic Japanese meal in her home kitchen. You'll learn to make dishes like chikuzenni (braised chicken and vegetables) and seasonal sides from scratch, with recipes provided in English and cultural context woven throughout the session.
A 3-hour sushi-making class where a professional chef teaches you how to roll, shape and prepare sushi from scratch. You'll learn the techniques and cultural history behind the dish, then eat what you've made. The session covers methods simple enough to recreate at home, with vegetarian options available and water included throughout.
A 90-minute hands-on sushi class in central Tokyo where you'll learn to prepare nigiri, gunkan maki, and temaki using premium wagyu under an English-speaking instructor's guidance. You'll work through each technique, plate your creations, and eat what you've made. Held in a spacious studio within walking distance of the train station, it's practical and ingredient-focused rather than lecture-based.
A 3.5-hour private walking tour of Shibuya that combines local food and drink at multiple stops with sightseeing and casual Japanese lessons from a Tokyo-born guide. You'll eat at least five dishes across venues serving sushi, yakitori, karaage, yakiniku or takoyaki, with all drinksโbeer, sake, whisky, wine and soft drinksโincluded throughout. It's designed for groups wanting to taste what Japanese locals actually eat rather than tourist-standard fare.