Cooking School YUKA MAZDA — Local services in Tokyo

Authentic Sushi-Making Experience in Japan – A Deep Dive into Tradition and Flavor

During my 2024 Japan trip, I had the pleasure of taking a second sushi-making class—this time accompanied by my dad—and it was an unforgettable experience. While I had previously taken a similar class, this one went far deeper, offering a much richer understanding of the art of sushi preparation. To top it off, it also included a hands-on miso soup component, which elevated the experience even further.

What made this class truly stand out was the instructor’s in-depth approach. She began with the fundamentals—teaching us about rice selection and preparation, even soaking kelp in water hours in advance to infuse the rice with authentic umami flavor. We learned about the types of rice ideal for sushi, the proper washing technique, and the delicate cooking and resting process that results in perfect texture.

She introduced us to tools like the Hangiri, a traditional wooden bowl used to cool and season the rice, and shared insights into Japanese ingredients like johakuto (caster sugar), explaining how it differs from sugar commonly found in the U.S. Every step was carefully explained and demonstrated, giving us a true appreciation for the precision behind every bite of sushi.

The sushi-making portion was just as hands-on and rewarding. From crafting classic Tekka Maki to Sesame-Crusted Rolls, and delicate Nigiri (topped with tuna, scallops, and sweet egg), to the elegant Negitoro Gunkan, every piece we made felt like a small work of art. I appreciated the cultural tips, such as placing wasabi inside the roll rather than mixing it into the soy sauce—a subtle but important detail in traditional sushi etiquette.

The miso soup preparation was equally engaging. We used a combination of six miso pastes for a deep, rich flavor, enhanced with bonito flakes, mushrooms, spring onions, and rehydrated seaweed. Learning how to build flavor from scratch made me realize how much care goes into even the simplest Japanese dishes.

This class wasn’t just a cooking lesson—it was a cultural experience. The attention to detail, the warmth of the instructor, and the opportunity to share it with my dad made it a highlight of the trip. As a thoughtful touch, we were even gifted a set of chopsticks at the end—a perfect souvenir to remember a truly memorable day.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting to connect with the essence of Japanese cuisine beyond just tasting it—this is about truly...

If you want to do a cooking class in Tokyo, take this class. If you don’t want to do a cooking class in Tokyo, reevaluate...and then take this class! Yuka is a wonderful person and teacher and has so many different dishes available. We had started looking into classes several weeks before our trip but hadn’t booked anything, and by the time we were ready to book something, a lot of the places we looked at only had sushi courses available. We wanted to choose something we’d be more likely to make at home, and our favorite Japanese food is okonomiyaki, so we were thrilled when we saw that Yuka not only offered a class for that, but it also included learning how to make wagyu gyuudon as well. She has so many other classes that cover many popular Japanese foods; I wish we’d had time to do another session!

The actual class was very intimate and fun. It was four of us plus Yuka and the class was very hands-on. She had already purchased the ingredients and explained to us what to look for when we eventually make it ourselves. She gave us so many tips and tricks; not just related to the dish, but also others such as knife & sharpening recommendations! She made the instructions easy for all of us to follow and made the dishes seem so approachable. We are so excited to put what we learned into action now that we are home.

Ebisu, where the class is located, is also such a cool neighborhood with great bars nearby. We had a lovely evening cooking with Yuka and having a delicious dinner followed by going to a speakeasy style bar. I would absolutely recommend taking a class with Yuka!...

I booked a last minute cooking workshop with Yuka during my trip to Japan in October 2023. I chose the Select Class with wagyu beef gyudon and pork tonkatsu.

Yuka met me at Ebisu station, from which it's a short walk to her home where she hosts the workshop. She was patient while I sorted out storing my luggage since I had just checked out of my hotel that day.

The workshop itself was great. Yuka speaks great English and she is knowledgeable and personable. She uses high quality ingredients for the dried kombu, miso pastes, rice, pork (loin and filet), and beef (sliced wagyu). It's good to save your appetite for the workshop since you'll be cooking generous portions.

Yuka is an experienced chef and taught me cooking knowledge I wouldn't be able to get just following an online recipe. How to fry the tonkatsu (and let it continue to cook after taking it out of the hot oil), how to make dashi from scratch and how ingredient quality can affect the dashi, the difference in pork cuts used in tonkatsu, tenderizing the pork meat, and how to cook gyudon if you were to use non-wagyu beef.

She added extras during cooking such as fried cheese and katsu sando. After cooking and eating we had matcha with sweets and chatted about my trip. Yuka gave a few recommendations for Tokyo and Japan in general. At the end she gifted me a pair of nice quality chopsticks.

I really enjoyed Yuka's class - she's a great teacher and I had fun. I would definitely recommend booking it if you are interested in learning how to create any...