Japanese Cooking Class in Sapporo with a Local Chef

"It was amazing. Shiori is a lovely host and everything was delicious. We learned some new skills about japanese homestyle sushi."

"I had a wonderful time at Shiori-san’s place. Finding my way to the station where she picked me up wasn’t difficult at all thanks to prior communication. Since I was travelling alone and my Japanese was very limited, I was worried that it might be a little awkward at first but from the moment we met, Shiori-san was very friendly and welcoming and the conversation, using both English and Japanese, kept flowing. • Once we arrived at her home, we started cooking almost right away. Shiori-san was very patient with me and explained all the steps as well as the ingredients we used. Shiori-san had also prepared some additonal food beforehand, so I got to enjoy a full-course home cooked menu and it was one of the best meals I had during my trip in Japan. I also met some members of her family and all of them treated me just as kindly as she did. • Overall it was an wonderful experience and even though I was quite nervous ahead of it, I am more than happy that I booked it. It turned out to be one of the most memorable and precious moments of my trip and I can highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an authentic experience."

"Shiori makes you feel at ease in no time. She's open, friendly, and extroverted. The fact that she's also a trained chef and teaches you how to make sushi almost becomes a side issue. Besides sushi, there's a whole table full of other local delicacies. By the end, I could almost have been rolled over 😅. A truly wonderful experience that I can recommend to everyone."

"We had a truly wonderful time at the cooking class! Shiori welcomed us into her lovely home with such warmth and kindness. She taught us how to make delicious sushi with great care and attention to detail. The ingredients she prepared were fresh and locally sourced, and every bite was absolutely divine. It was a heartwarming and unforgettable experience — we would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting Japan!"

"A very warm welcome, and the food was cooked like a typical Japanese household, including sushi. It tasted fantastic!"

"Cooking with Shiori was an absolute pleasure. She was so welcoming and I really enjoyed how she shared her life with me. The food was delicious and I can’t wait to have a go cooking it myself when I get home."

"Shiori-san was the best! So knowledgeable about Hokkaido cooking and traditions. Learning from her was amazing and the food was absolutely delicious!"

"Shiori was so kind to welcome our family into her charming home and such a patient teacher! I would recommend this experience for sure."

"Shiori and her husband invited me into their home for a great evening of cooking, dinner and conversation. It was a lovely way to experience what local life and food culture is like in Sapporo. I recommend you skip lunch, and make sure you try Shiori’s plum saké, you won’t regret it!"

"authentic cooking experience in Siori’s home. Siori taught us how to make fresh sushi in a traditional Japanese way that is different than what we usually found in restaurants. Siori also cooked a very big meal consisting of a variety of traditional Japanese dishes. Everything was delicious and we loved the experience."

"Shiori was very good company. I enjoyed rolling sushi and eating it but the joy was conversation and spending time in her home. She was proud that 99% of the food she offered was from Hokkaido. And offer food she did with a description of each. This was my first full day in Sapporo and was nice to relax and talk. Food is fun but sharing a part of one’s life is the real reward."

"A Hokkaido native, Shiori was a fantastic host and absolutely amazing chef. She's a trained professional chef who used to own her own restaurant and is now a housewife, so there is so much flavor in every dish. After picking my husband and I up from a train station just a few minutes from Sapporo Station, she walked us through how to make sushi with a whole bunch of different ingredients in her home. It's also worth mentioning that she was very accommodating to our dietary needs (we don't eat fish). She also had several other delicious dishes prepared when we arrived to add to dinner. We really appreciated her time to walk us through each dish and even teach us about some regional specialties. We got to taste cherry blossom tea and her homemade lemon sorbet as well. It was our honeymoon so Shiori even went out of her way to get us a bottle of champagne to enjoy with dinner. This was the highlight of our 2 week trip in Japan and I can't recommend Shiori enough!"

"Shiori and her family were wonderful hosts. We made several dishes and she had prepped extras for a resulting feast that was scaled for home cooking - perfect for our interests to learn recipes we would cook again! We especially loved the practical approach to home made sushi and the noodle dishes that featured a lovely display but also practical for individual portions."

"Today I had an excellent experience in Sapporo: I booked a cooking lesson with Shiori Ogawa. We cooked in her house a sample but very tasteful lunch vegan menu. I learn many things about Japanese food, ingredients and recipes. Shiori is a very good teacher and a wonderful host.Luisa"