Shiori, a warm and hospitable host with a great smile, was born and raised by a gastronomic family in the northernmost city of Hokkaido. She, in addition to every other member of her family, is a professional chef. Shiori has had a successful career as a chef and manager at restaurants and hotels for over two decades. After becoming a mother to two boys, she now teaches cooking to local moms at her home and school. She enjoys teaching the art of creating delightful food using fresh, inexpensive produce that is easy to replicate back home. Always eager to learn new things, Shiori has learned Ikebana (Japanese traditional flower arrangement), kimono dressing, and matcha (traditional green tea ceremony). Shiori is happy to have you experience one of these Japanese traditions during your Traveling Spoon experience - just let her know which one in your booking request! She is also happy to recommend the best ingredients and snacks at local supermarkets to take back home.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal: (1-6 guests) Escape from the busy city center and enter a peaceful residential neighborhood of Sapporo where the people are generous and caring. Your host Shiori will welcome you into her newly-built beautiful family home. As you sip on a refreshing drink she will walk you through the menu of the day. You will then enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine lovingly prepared and beautifully presented. Your meal will include dishes such as handmade sushi roll, somen noodles, grilled chicken and vegetables or fried chicken or vegan nikujaga (slow-cooked vegetables and soy bean) and nimono of fish cakes.
Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) During your Sapporo cooking class, cook alongside a professional culinary instructor, Shiori. She will expertly walk you through every step of creating a great Japanese dish. The cooking portion of your experience will last about 1 hour, during which you will learn to make 1 main dish and 1 side dish. Shiori will peel and cut vegetables in advance and you will help her prepare the dishes together.
Notes:
1. Vegetarians and children are welcome!
2. Shiori will pick you up at the north exit of Sumikawa Station. Her car can accommodate up to four guests. For groups of five or more, additional guests are kindly asked to follow by taxi, which costs approximately $10 USD.
Round-Trip Transfers: If you choose this optional add-on, you will be picked up by private car from your hotel, accommodation, port, or other designated location and dropped off after your experience.
Languages spoken: English, Japanese
We had a wonderful cooking experience with Shiori-san in Sapporo! It was much more than just a cooking class. We enjoyed her warm hospitality, the cultural exchange, and the opportunity to learn more about Japanese traditions. Shiori-san was very welcoming, friendly, and an excellent communicator. A truly memorable experience that we highly recommend!- alex October 10, 2026
This wasn't just a sushi class. It was an evening in a real Japanese home. Shiori welcomed us into her private house, where we made sushi at her own table and met her family, who were warm and genuinely happy to have us. Shiori is a wonderful guide: patient, funny, and easy to talk with. She explained each step clearly, and the conversation flowed as naturally as it would with a new friend, covering food, daily life, and Japanese culture. Trying on a kimono was a lovely surprise and made the night feel even more special. By the end, Shiori had invited us back to explore other parts of Hokkaido with her, which says everything about how welcoming she is.If you want something authentic and personal instead of a standard tourist class, book this. Highly recommended!- anne September 28, 2026
Perfect class. I took the class with my 24 year old daughter. I’m a home cook who loves Japanese cuisine. Shiori is a professional chef with lots of teaching experience. She genuinely wants you to be successful and has adapted her recipes with tricks that make it easier while maintaining top notch taste and presentation. My daughter and I can’t wait to try her home style sushi approach at a family gathering we’re having in a week. Aside from the lesson, she prepared a once in a lifetime meal fit for an emperor. It was quite unbelievable, everything was so good and plentiful that I don’t think I’ll have to eat for a week. Ingredients were top rate, which is a basic requirement for a top chef. On top of all this, she was so kind that she made us feel like close family/friends even sharing some family history and showing Japanese cultural “treasures” that my daughter and I showed interest in. She has significant international experience and her English is great. As a foodie and serious home chef, I have been to many cooking classes around the world and if I could, I would rate this a perfect experience. Learn and enjoy with confidence, if you are lucky enough to be able to book Shiori’s class!- Bob July 18, 2026
From start to finish Shiori was so friendly, it was like an aunty picking us up from the station. We learnt how to make sushi from scratch and she explains all the ingredients and then she served us an absolute banquet too! I think we had about 7/8 courses in the end. We even briefly met her family as it was in her home. She offered for me to try on her grandmothers kimono and it was really special. The day was just great, highlight of our trip to Hokkaido. Would recommend for all abilities too. Shiori is the best!- Keiran July 05, 2026
Can not recommend this experience highly enough!!!!! I learnt a lot about Japanese food and culture - Shiori is lovely - very easy to talk to and perfect English- susie June 23, 2026
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