Kyoto-Style Sushi Making Class in a Traditional Restaurant

In this hands-on sushi workshop, you will start by learning the history and cultural background of sushi. Then you will taste different types of sushi vinegar and rice, and finally create a delicious meal of your own under your host's expert guidance. Your experience begins as you meet your host, Mitsuru, at the sushi restaurant and enjoy a welcome drink. Mitsuru shares a brief lesson on the history of sushi, including personal anecdotes from his years of experience abroad in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Next, you will taste various sushi vinegars and sushi rice, and learn about the different types of sushi knives. Then comes the hands-on part: you will make your own sushi and watch Mitsuru grate fresh wasabi right before your eyes. During the class, you will make chirashizushi and oshizushi, both traditional to Kyoto and lesser-known than conventional nigiri or maki rolls. Chirashizushi, also called scattered sushi, is a colorful bowl of sushi rice topped with cooked fish, vegetables, and thinly sliced Japanese-style omelet (tamagoyaki). Chirashizushi can be made vegetarian upon request. Oshizushi, or pressed sushi, is made by compressing sushi rice with fish and other toppings into a mold and cutting it into bite-sized pieces. This style of sushi-making developed in Western Japan over 400 years ago and remains popular in Kyoto. Oshizushi can be made gluten-free upon request. Your host, Mitsuru, brings a wealth of experience and passion to the class. He is the third-generation manager at Kikyo Sushi in Kyoto. He is excited to share the art of sushi-making with guests in a warm, approachable way.