Meet
Kanae
Originally from Kamakura, Kanae and her husband and two daughters have lived in Sapporo for over a decade. Influenced by her mother, a skilled home cook, Kanae has loved food and cooking from a young age. Living in Hokkaido, renowned for its fresh, high-quality produce, seafood, and meat, she delights in creating dishes using locally sourced ingredients and traditional Japanese seasonings.
A US college graduate, Kanae is a warm and fun host who enjoys sharing stories about how locals live and eat. She is happy to accommodate your culinary requests, so feel free to let her know if there are specific dishes you’d like to try when you book. Kanae also loves introducing travelers to regional Hokkaido specialties, such as soup curry, chan chan yaki, and rice-stuffed squid, for guests interested in exploring Hokkaido cuisine beyond traditional Japanese home cooking.
If you enjoy hiking, Kanae’s home is conveniently located near Moiwa Mountain, a popular spot for scenic trails, as well as the picturesque Fushimi Inari Shrine, making her home a perfect base to combine a cooking class in Sapporo with outdoor exploration.
What to expect
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:
(1-7 guests)
Kanae will welcome you into her comfortable family home in one of Sapporo’s most peaceful and charming residential neighborhoods. Begin your experience with a welcome drink as you immerse yourself in local Hokkaido culture and get to know your host, Kanae, while she shares stories about her family and life in Hokkaido. Afterward, join Kanae at her dining table to enjoy an authentic Japanese meal, which may include traditional dishes such as teriyaki chicken, kinpira-gobo (sweet and savory cooked burdock root), agedashi tofu (deep-fried and seasoned tofu), and miso soup. This is not just a meal, but a cultural experience that brings the flavors and stories of Hokkaido into your hands.
Cooking experience:
(1-7 guests)
Experience an authentic Japanese cooking class in Sapporo in the comfort of a local’s home. Join Kanae in her open home kitchen to learn traditional Japanese cooking techniques and prepare a homemade meal using fresh, seasonal Hokkaido ingredients. The hands-on cooking portion lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours, giving you plenty of time to learn, cook, and explore Japanese culinary traditions. Afterward, sit down with Kanae to enjoy the meal you helped create, sharing stories and insights about local food culture for a truly immersive cultural and culinary experience in Sapporo.
Market visit:
(1-7 guests)
Join Kanae for a private, guided tour of the Sapporo Morning Market (closed Wednesdays and Sundays) and Jogai Market, located next to the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market. Explore fresh regional produce, local seafood, and seasonal ingredients as Kanae shares insights about Hokkaido’s culinary traditions and how locals shop. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase fresh ingredients to use later in your hands-on cooking class. After the market tour, Kanae will drive you 15 minutes back to her home, where you’ll enjoy a Sapporo cooking class and meal experience, preparing and sharing the dishes together in a welcoming, authentic setting.
Notes:
1. Kanae’s car can accommodate up to 5 people total, including the driver (maximum 4 guests). If your group has 5 or more people, you will need to take a taxi and follow Kanae’s car from the meeting point at the station to her home.
2. Kanae is also happy to offer vegetarian and vegan dishes upon request. Please let her know when you book so she can prepare accordingly.
Languages spoken:
English, Japanese
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
Hello! I’m a traveler from South Korea.
I had always wanted to learn authentic Japanese home cooking, so I searched for cooking classes in Sapporo. I found this class through an AI recommendation, and after reading so many wonderful reviews, I decided to book it. What really stood out to me was that, unlike other classes, this one included a visit to a local market, which made the experience even more special.
The instructor spoke both Japanese and English very well, so communication was smooth and comfortable throughout the entire experience.
At the market, she recommended products that locals actually use. If I had visited the market on my own as a tourist, I probably would have ended up buying a few disappointing souvenirs. Instead, every single item she recommended turned out to be amazing! I brought them back to Korea, shared them with my family and friends, and even recreated the dishes at home. Everything was a huge success!
Before the class, she asked what I wanted to learn, so I was able to cook the exact Japanese dishes I had hoped to make. I also learned a lot about Japanese seasonings, cooking utensils, and ingredients she uses in her own kitchen. Those little tips made the class even more valuable.
Most importantly, she was incredibly kind, patient, and welcoming. We had great conversations throughout the class, and she explained every step so clearly that I felt completely comfortable from beginning to end.
I originally thought this was simply a small-group class, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s actually one private booking per session. That made the experience even more personal and enjoyable.
This time I joined by myself, but next time I’d love to come back with my friends or family.
I truly think many Korean travelers would love this class if they knew about it. Hopefully I’ll have the chance to visit again before it becomes even more popular!
Thank you so much for giving me one of the most memorable experiences of my trip to Sapporo. I’ll never forget it!
-
yoko
August 01, 2026
Kanae was lovely. She was kind enough to modify the menu at the very last minute to avoid fish, even though I failed to let her know in advance as I should. She was gracious to teach us in her home, was very patient with two teenage boys, and showed us some lovely traditional dishes. The pickup instructions were also very clear and easy.
-
laura
July 27, 2026
We did the cooking experience with Kanae via the Traveling Spoon. We had visited Sapporo a few years ago and particularly liked soup curry. So when visiting Sapporo this time, we wanted to find a cooking class for it. Unfortunately it was difficult to find until we stumbled on Kanae's Traveling Spoon page/profile. Because you can make various foods with her, I booked the experience and reached out to her to double check that soup curry could be made. She responded quickly to let us know it could be accommodated.
Kanae's instructions on where to meet her were perfect and she was on time for pick up. She took us to her home and we chatted over making soup curry. It was a great experience and a nice cultural exchange. Kanae speaks great English as she went to college in the US so you don't need to be nervous of the language barrier if you don't speak Japanese.
-
pakala
June 19, 2026
Kanae-San took me through several small local markets, full of fresh fish and fruit/veggies,
as well as spices . Then we cooked a delicious meal in her home. She was a lovely host!
Thank you so much!
-
dawn
May 08, 2026
What a lovely morning I had with Kanae both shopping and preparing our lunch together. The food was delicious as well as nutritious.
I would recommend this tour to anyone in the Sapporo area who likes to cook and learn more about the food history of this area.
-
pamela
April 21, 2026
Read More
