Host offerings
Satoru was born in Hokkaido and grew up surrounded by nature and large vegetable fields. As a child, he would always harvest fresh vegetables from his family's fields and cook with his mother and grandmother who were wonderful home cooks. His grandmother never compromised in quality or technique when cooking and taught him everything she knew. Satoru is now a passionate home cook himself. His grandfather owned an organic miso factory that Satoru believed to be the best in the world. Although it closed after his grandfather passed away, his grandfather passed down his miso making techniques to his mother who sends Sato her handmade organic miso. This miso is the secret of Satoru's signature miso soup, something you won't want to miss. Satoru enjoys teaching people about Japanese food and helping them explore his local culture through food. He believes that there are so many delicious homemade Japanese foods that cannot be found in the restaurants and delights in sharing these dishes with travelers.
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 - 4 guests) After meeting Satoru at the JR Shinjuku station, you will walk together to his simple, cozy apartment in the heart of Shinjuku. As you sip on a welcome drink, Satoru will share stories about life and culture in Japan. You will then sit down to a traditional Japanese meal of home style Japanese dishes at his dining table. Depending on the day your menu might change. Your menu might include teishoku (a fixed plate of miso soup, donburi, tonjiru and rice) or chirashi sushi or Japanese street food treats like okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) or karaage (fried chicken). Sato is happy to tailor the menu to your preferences so feel free to request a particular dish when making your booking. Enjoy a laid-back, stress-free meal and conversation about Japanese cuisine and culture with this knowledgeable local.
Cooking experience (1 - 4 guests) Join Satoru in his small but efficient kitchen and learn how to cook 2-3 authentic Japanese dishes from scratch. You can expect your cooking class to take about an hour and a half before you sit down and share the meal you helped to prepare over engaging conversation with Satoru. Feel free to ask him about the ingredients that go into making the dish from savory dashi to sweet organic honey and he will give you tips and a story relating to his choice.
Market visit (1 - 4 guests) Please note that this is not a tour of a food market and will take place after your cooking class. Instead of a market tour, Satoru will take you on a street tour of a local district that tourists typically do not see. Stroll through the neighborhood with Satoru as he shares information about Japanese culture and trends.
Notes: Please note that a Cooking + Meal experience with Sato will take 2.5 hours instead of 3 hours, so the actual timings would be: 10:30AM - 1:00PM for Lunch, 6:00PM - 8:30PM for Dinner. Please ignore the 'Experience Timings' shown on the left hand side of this page.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007f591d837278>
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | Not offered | $11,168 | Not offered |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | Not offered | $15,968 | Not offered |
| Alcohol | $500 per person | ||
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:30am - 01:30pm | 6:00pm - 09:00pm |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:30am - 03:30pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
