BOOK FOOD EXPERIENCES
RESERVE RESTAURANTS
BUY GOURMET PRODUCTS
OSAKA

7 Best Osaka Cooking Classes to Master Japanese Food

By Callum Howe
Updated: August 14, 2023

Joining an Osaka cooking class is the best way to understand delicious Japanese dishes in every aspect, from the history to the steps and techniques involved in preparing them. And while a lesson lasts a few hours max, the skills you'll gain will last a lifetime.

When your family and friends ask if your brought them any presents from your Japan trip, you can go one better and wow them with a delicious traditional Japanese meal made with your own two hands!

Bonus: Each booking pays for 10 meals for children in need, through our Food For Happiness initiative.

7 Best Osaka Cooking Classes

A Japanese cooking class instructor holds her hands over various bowls and ingredients

Here are some of our all-time favorite cooking classes in Osaka.

  1. Osaka Bento Making Class
  2. Osaka Sushi Making Class
  3. Ramen Making Class in Osaka
  4. Tempura Making Class
  5. Osaka-style Okonomiyaki Cooking Class
  6. Miso-making Workshop
  7. Wagashi Making Class in Osaka

1. Osaka Bento Making Class (Turn Your Lunchbox Into a Work of Art)

A nicely patterned bento box sits on a table wit its lid off, showing a range of colorful foods stuffed inside.

Bento boxes are one of the most creative and fun parts of Japanese home cooking. A good cook can turn a simple lunchbox meal into a colorful, delicious work of art. If you want to learn to do so yourself, then the popular Traditional Osaka Bento Making Class is the place to start.

Over the course of two and a half hours, you’ll learn the ins and out of nine different Japanese dishes, and arrange them beautifully in a healthy and hearty bento box. The dishes include classics like ginger beef, shrimp tempura, and tamagoyaki rolled omelet. 

With a load of recipes like these in your arsenal, you’ll basically be a qualified home cook of classic Japanese food (and your lunchbox will be the envy of the office!). 

Book the Traditional Osaka Bento Making Class.

2. Osaka Sushi Making Class (Perfect for Beginners)

Participants wave in an Osaka sushi class

Japanese sushi is a deceptively complex craft. You might think that cutting fish and putting it on rice can’t be that hard, but to do it with the best you need a range of very specialized kitchen skills, a deep knowledge of seafood, and a fantastic sense for the best combinations and preparation methods to match each piece.

The top Michelin-starred sushi chefs train for decades to acquire these skills, but we're guessing you don’t have quite that much time dedicated to the craft. In that case, get yourself on this sushi crash course.

During this cooking lesson in Osaka, you’ll learn to make properly seasoned sushi rice, test your dexterity to get the perfect cut of fish, and put the two together to make a delicious meal (followed by a Japanese tea pairing). Not only that, but your professional sushi chef teacher will fill you in on the history and traditions of the craft. Book Sushi-making Memories with a Professional Chef in Osaka.

3. Ramen Making Class in Osaka (Discover the Secret to Delicious Noodles)

Three types of Japanese ramen on a tray

Japan has one of the most diverse food cultures, and you presumably have limited time to get to grips with it all! Don’t be overwhelmed, there are a few clever shortcuts you can take to maximize your experience.

This 2.5-hour ramen-making class is one of them. Here, you'll learn how to make ramen noodles from scratch—from rolling to stomping, boiling and serving. You'll learn to prepare three different varieties of ramen: shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce) and miso, and of course you'll get to enjoy them all at the end (with dessert thrown in, too).

It's a family-friendly cooking class, with children aged seven and up welcome. Book the Osaka Ramen Class with Handmade Noodles.

Or—if you prefer, you can learn how to make shoyu ramen and gyoza (Japanese dumplings) instead, in the Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class in Osaka.

4. Tempura Making Class (Halal, Vegetarian and Vegan Options Available)

Osaka Tempura Class participants hold out trays of tempura

In this two-hour tempura cooking class, you'll learn the secret to making crispy tempura that's as light as a feather. Your experienced instructor will show you how to do the traditional Japanese version of air-frying: making fried food without the typical oiliness.

Because tempura can be made with a wide range of ingredients, including vegetables, seafood and meat, it is easy to accommodate participants in search of vegan, vegetarian and Halal options. The teacher is eager to share this popular Japanese dish with the world.

Once you've cooked up a storm, you can sit down to enjoy your meal with rice, chilled tofu and soup. Book the Osaka Tempura Class.

Vegan Ramen: Another great meat-free option is Saeko-sensei's vegan ramen-making class in Osaka, where you'll learn how to make a creamy ramen with crispy gyoza on the side!

5. Osaka-style Okonomiyaki Cooking Class (Osaka's Soul Food)

Osaka-style okonomiyaki

If you want to learn how to make one of Osaka's most iconic dishes, this is the class for you. Over the course of 2.5 hours, you'll learn all about okonomiyaki and how to make it the way Osakans like best (don't tell the good folks from Hiroshima!).

Your highly experienced cooking instructor will show you all the steps, from the batter to the fillings and saucy finish. You can add cabbage, meat or seafood to the savory pancake mix, and top it off with special sauces, mayonnaise and katsuobushi flakes.

You'll also learn how to make a delicious miso soup and two side dishes, so that you can treat your friends and family to a full-course feast in the future. Book the Osaka-style Okonomiyaki Cooking Class.

6. Miso-making Workshop (Japan's Favorite Fermented Food)

Instructor and two participants around the table at a miso-making workshop in Osaka

Miso soup is so popular in Japan that you'll find it served with almost every meal—including breakfast. It's typically the first thing Japanese travelers miss from home, too. In this 2.5-hour workshop, you'll find out just why that is!

While learning all about fermentation in Japanese cuisine, you'll make your own miso from scratch—then take your 500g box of wonderment home with you, to finish the fermentation process over the next few months.

Your host is a foodie with heaps of experience under her belt, and will make sure the lesson is fun, easy to understand and memorable—she hopes you will continue to make your own miso down the line. Book the Miso-making Workshop in Osaka.

7. Japanese Wagashi Making Class in Osaka (For Those With a Sweet Tooth)

A man and a woman hold up their finished wagashi, Japanese sweets, during a wagashi making class in Osaka

In case you’re not already aware, Japan is crazy about sweets! You’ll find dozens of homegrown chocolate companies here, alongside hundreds of types of unique candy on the supermarket shelves. If you want to go the traditional route though, then you have to try wagashi.

These gluten-free and vegan-friendly sweets date back millennia to when they were just simple rice flour and nut treats. As production methods got more complex and ingredients became abundant during the peaceful Edo era, they transformed into ornate, decorated works of edible art.

During this Osaka Wagashi Making Class, you’ll get all the tools and skills to make your very own wagashi sweets. While it is traditional to mold and cut them in the shape of seasonal flowers, it’s no problem if you want to go freestyle instead. Maybe you’ll discover you hidden talents as an avant-garde confectioner!

Whatever design you want to make, your expert instructor will guide you along the way. You’ll also get taught how to prepare matcha green tea the traditional way, so you can enjoy a cup alongside your handmade sweet treats. Book the Osaka Wagashi Making Class.

Still hungry? Explore our selection of the best food tours in Osaka! Traveling around Kansai? Why not take a cooking class in Kyoto, too?

Osaka Cooking Class FAQs

A chef serves grilled Japanese-style meat

We answer some of the most common questions about cooking classes in Osaka.

Are There English Cooking Classes in Osaka?

Yes, there are lots of English cooking classes in Osaka. All of the lessons mentioned here, from the bento class to the miso workshop and more, are conducted in English.

What Are the Best Cooking Classes in Osaka?

It depends what you want to learn to cook! The sushi and ramen cooking classes in Osaka are some of the most popular among tourists.

How Much Is a Cooking Class in Osaka?

Cooking classes in Osaka range from approximately ¥7,000 to ¥15,000 per person, depending on the type of lesson.

Where Can I Find a Cooking Class in Osaka?

You can find Osaka cooking lessons across the city. Many take place in the instructor's home, giving you a chance to explore different parts of Osaka.

We strive to be as accurate as possible and keep up with the changing landscape of Japan's food and travel industries. If you spot any inaccuracies, please send a report.
0
Click clap if you like this post
Callum Howe
Originally from Fife, Scotland, Callum is a literature graduate, freelance writer, and English teacher living in Tokyo. An interest in Zen drew him to Japan, so you can often find him visiting temples around Tokyo and beyond. He loves getting involved with the local music, sports, and arts scenes.
Stay in the Loop!
Be the first to know about the latest foodie trends.
Sign up for insider tips & sneak peeks into the diverse world of dining in Japan