Choose Your Own: Cook Two Japanese Main Dishes

If you’re traveling to Tokyo anytime soon and if you’re a person or family that values cultural immersion, taking a class with Mayuko should definitely be on your trip’s next itinerary. It’s a rare opportunity to step into a Japanese person’s home and it’s a great introduction to some of the basic elements of Japanese home cooking. I took the Everyday Meal in a Japanese Home class, which was excellent, because the side dishes we made were seasonal and celebrating the seasonality is an essential part of Japanese homecooking. On top of that, you get introduced to some foods that you may not have tried before, which I love. During the cooking portion of the class, Mayuko easily walks through each of the steps of cooking and she’s doing together with you at the same time. Classes are small (I was lucky enough to be the only one that day) so you get all of the hands on instruction that you need. If you go to Mayuko’s homepage, you’ll see a carousel of photos of Mayuko and her students having a great time, and they accurately depict my experience taking a cooking class with her in her home. It really just felt like you were hanging out a friend’s home for the afternoon. What I didn’t expect to be the best part is actually eating lunch together after it was made. It was just a really cool and relaxed atmosphere, where you get to ask Mayuko about any questions you have about Japanese culture and it’s a great time to ask her about places that she loves to eat. It’s for this reason that I highly recommend booking a class early into your trip so you have time to actually try some of the places that she recommends. To top it off, the food tasted great. Nothing is better than having a great conversation and having a tasty home cooked meal to enjoy that you actually made! This was my 5th trip to Tokyo and taking a class with Mayuko was definitely a highlight of the trip. When I return to Japan again, I’ll likely be taking another one as well. Any trip to Tokyo is going to involve going to temples, lots of walking, crowds, and having way too many choices on where you need to eat. You’re going to want a break from that and a visit to Mayuko’s Little Kitchen is the best way to do that. Her teaching style, friendliness, and the food you make together will be one of your favorite experiences in Japan.

This is not just a cooking class, however, it is the best and most unforgettable activity that I have done so far in Tokyo. I love the way they taught us about their traditional Japanese cuisine. They taught us step by step. The Sushi was so good, miso soup as well. I would highly recommend this class.