Realizing that tourists in his home of Japan were all flocking to the same ol’ “Google search” attractions and experiences, Cooking Sun founder, Shohei, knew he wanted to show international visitors that there were much more authentic and unique ways to be immersed in and learn of the country’s culture. With a passion for the high quality of the food in Japan, Shohei found the perfect solution: a Cooking School for international travelers.

Fast forward to today: Cooking Sun now has 2 studios in Tokyo and Kyoto- each with unique classes representative of the city itself. While in Tokyo, I had the chance to squeeze in their Sushi-Making Class and I am SO glad I did. Not sure what to expect for my first cooking class in Japan, I was excited to find myself arriving at the provided location – off the beaten path and away from the noise and craziness of Tokyo city. The little studio was situated in what seemed to be a tiny office building and was reminiscent of what used to be a single bedroom apartment. Except now, it was creatively set up as a bright, welcoming cooking classroom for those of any skill level to gather around, spread out, and have plenty of space to get their hands messy while interacting with the “teachers” and “fellow students.”

3 lovely ladies (who I think may have been a family?) led our group of 8 during this 3-hour class and they could not have been a more well-oiled machine. There was also someone leading and 2 either helping us struggling or cleaning up dishes in preparation for what was to come next on our busy task list (we had 5 different types of sushi to prepare!). Traveling alone, I was delighted to become quick friends with the family of 7 who were visiting from Southeast Asia. Grandpa, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and the 3 little girls were incredibly sweet and I could tell they were genuinely having a blast. When I asked them how and why they had booked this activity during their time in Tokyo, they told me they were looking for something unique to do with the girls and as a family- other than walking around and seeing another typical, tourist-packed attraction. We all worked together and our teachers did a great job of encouraging our interaction, which is something I always appreciate during group activities like this (especially when I am traveling solo).

Sushi-making has always been something I avoid at home due to my lack of patience, so I was unsure how my rolls were going to turn out. When everything was finished and it was finally time to eat our plated masterpiece, mine may not have been very beautiful, but it was so fresh and delicious. By that time and all of my hard work, I was starving, but it was so much sushi, none of us could even finish surprisingly!

The recipes and instructors were able to take something difficult, like sushi-making, and turn it into something simple enough for adults and children of all ages. With cooking classes, this can be something hard to achieve- especially in different cultures. As we cooked, we also learned about the city, the ingredients, and the cuisine itself. At the end, we even had real wasabi root to freshly grate- this was so cool (but very difficult for clumsy ol’ me). The whole afternoon was a great way to do something hands-on, interact with locals, and immerse myself in the culture.

For more information on all of their courses, check out their website here!