Private Japanese Cooking Class in Sapporo with Local Chef Shiori

Can not recommend this experience highly enough!!!!! I learnt a lot about Japanese food and culture - Shiori is lovely - very easy to talk to and perfect English

I always like taking a cooking lesson if I can when I travel. It was around a 2.5 hour long class and dinner inside Shiroi's home. From my understanding of Japanese culture and what I was taught by my teachers, getting an opportunity to go into a Japanese person's home is a rarity. So in that regard, it is a very unique and special opportunity in of itself. Since I went during golden week, I got to see how she decorates for Children's Day. For the cooking portion itself, I learned how to make a homestyle maki-zushi. She was very informative of how to make it and even why she chose this style of sushi. Food culture is a great way to peak into the lives and minds of people when we cook for others. On top of that she shared a lot about things in Hokkaido, herself, and of course, her knowledge in food. She makes quite a lot of food for you too. Since this is in her home, it is a small kitchen and hard to do a lot of cooking with groups or solo travellers, so keep it in mind when booking a lesson. I can't make too much comment on English language ability because she quickly realized I can speak Japanese, but from the English she used with me, it sounds like she is proficient and I think, uses it regularly with a host-son from America. At the end of the lesson, she surprised me with the same ingredients we used to make the sushi (minus the shiso and fish) so you can test what you learned at home. One part of the gift I was worried about was the soy sauce because I travel light with no checked luggage, but as long as you fly domestically the TSA won't take your liquids over 100ML. （昆布醤油は安全でした！). Overall, I think this is a good course to take if you have a night with no plans and want to do a mix of cooking, get a unique meal, and experience a deeper look into the life of a local resident in Hokkaido.

Do this! Shiori welcomes you into her traditional and beautiful home and makes you feel part of her family. She is informative, gracious, and very generous. You will learn about traditional Hokkaido ingredients and cuisine and best of all—eat and drink a bunch of them.

Shiori-san's generosity and friendliness was the highlight of our trip to Sapporo. The cooking is the solid base upon which a delightful experience is built- learning about Japanese family cooking, enjoying a delicious meal while sharing stories and experiences, and truly sharing Japanese hospitality with us are memories we won't forget. This is not lecture or classroom, it is a home you are being invited into to see a slice of someone's life and learn much more than just how to make food. This value is far beyond what we expected and we are extremely grateful to have met them!

All directions for pickup were clear and concise. Shiori is a wonderful host, happy to share her tips and tricks for Japanese cooking. She was very patient, helpful and answered all the questions we asked. There was a fabulous variety of food and plenty of it. We got a little bag of goodies to bring home and even had a kimono experience.

This is a fantastic experience! Shiori is happy to explain, demonstrate, and teach the background behind home cooking in Japan. This is not aimed at teaching you what a chef does at a restaurant, but how real people make typical Japanese meals (albeit very grand meals!) on a daily basis for their friends and family. It provides an amazing insight into Japanese culture. More than anything, though, Shiori goes above and beyond to make it a special experience - you leave feeling like you've spent the day with a new friend, not just taken a cooking class!

Shiori was extremely friendly, full of Japanese cooking history and knowledge, and welcoming in her home. The food was delicious. Shiori made this an unforgettable evening.

The food was exceptional! Showcasing the best of Hokkaido’s seafood and produce, we felt so very welcome in her home. Shiori is a talented chef and a gracious host. She accommodated dietary allergies with care and shared lots of useful information. We had made sushi previously but enjoyed doing it again under her guidance. An unexpected bonus was the invitation to try on her family kimonos - it was a privilege. We would have liked the recipes for some of the delicious dishes we sampled, and maybe a glass of sake.

An absolutely delightful experience! Our host welcomed us into her home, which was more than beautiful. Shiori is wonderful, kind, and attentive, and she demonstrates and explains new techniques in an engaging and easy-to-follow way. She had prepared a rich variety of dishes, explaining their origins and how they were made. Everything was incredibly delicious, and her company was wonderful! It’s truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to connect with a local in such a warm and relaxed way. We had so much fun and wholeheartedly recommend this cooking experience to anyone who wants to learn, enjoy amazing food, and soak in a fantastic atmosphere!

Shiori was a fabulous hostess! She was warm and welcoming, patient, clear, and made the whole experience interesting and enjoyable. I learned a lot and enjoyed the scrumptious feast. I will definitely be applying the techniques she shared when I get home.