Meet Junko at the Tsukishima station and walk together to her apartment. After relaxing with a refreshing drink you will start your authentic home-style Japanese meal with an appetizer like cucumber salad with shrimp or pickled vegetables. Next you will try dishes such as dashi egg rolls, eggplant with dengaku miso, a sweet and flavorful handmade miso and a main of rice rolls wrapped in pork, marinated and grilled fish, teriyaki chicken or the traditional nimono (slow-cooked vegetable and meat stew). Junko lives with her brother who might be present and share the meal with you on occasion.
Meet Junko at the Lawson store on Tsukiji 4-Chome and walk over to Tsukiji's outer market. Humming with energy and excitement, Tokyo's Tsukiji Market is unlike any other. Get ready for a culinary market adventure as Junko shows you around Tsukiji's outer market. With Junko as your local guide, you will get a glimpse into the incredible local seafood trade and learn about the variety of seafood that passes through the market each day. You will also get to discover in Tsukiji's outer market a variety of Japanese goods, from vegetables and fruits to knives and ceramics. If you'd like a seafood stew, pick up fresh fish from the market. Junko will tell you about her favorite vendors and how to choose the best ones. Her goal is to help you understand the spirit behind Japanese cuisine which is all about enjoying the present moment and season. Please note that this is a tour of the outer Tsukiji market, not the inner fish market that closed and moved to Toyosu. Your host will give you a tour of the outer market including a facility that imitates the Tsukiji Market which has a seafood section. You will also visit Namiyoke Shrine, the guardian deity of Tsukiji Market. After your market tour, you will take the Oedo subway or a Toei bus with Junko to her home to begin your cooking class.
Meet Junko at the Tsukishima station and walk together to her small and simple apartment where you will join her in her kitchen for a hands-on Japanese cooking class. You will learn to cook 3-4 of Junko's favorite, savory Japanese dishes made from seasonal ingredients as part of a Teishoku meal. Some of the dishes you might learn to cook are teriyaki chicken or ginger pork or fish stew for a main, tamagoyaki (traditional Japanese rolled omelet) and a sweet and savory miso soup made with homemade miso. You can expect your cooking class to take about 1.5 hours. After cooking sit down together to share the meal you helped prepare with Junko.
You may have heard that Tsukiji market closed. Junko offers a tour of the outer market which remains open. The inner market has moved to a new location which is not part of Junko's tour. Please note the market experience is not suitable for children under 10 years of age.
Junko lives close to some tourist spots such as TeamLab Toyosu, Hama-rikyu and Kiyosumi Gardens. Ask her about her recommendations for the top must-do activities in Tokyo.
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.
Bamboo shoot rice Ginger porkJapanese side dish of burdock and lotus rootTamagoyaki (traditional Japanese rolled omelet)Miso soupMochi dumplingsJunko is a delightful, fun-loving local and foodie who lives close to the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. She loves living here because of the easy access to Tsukiji and other local markets where she procures the freshest fish, meat and vegetables for her cooking. Many of the vegetables she uses are also sourced from her brother’s organic vegetable field. She enjoys creative and seasonal Japanese cooking. Junko's enthusiasm for cooking and eating delicious food made her want to be more than a home cook. She was popular amongst her friends, not only for her personality but also her cooking skills, and eventually her regularly held home cooking parties turned into cooking lessons. Being a passionate foodie herself about different cuisines around the world, she would love to help travelers experience authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine in Tokyo. She believes good food can be a bridge between cultures and looks forward to sharing happiness through food with fellow Traveling Spoon foodies.
"Don’t miss this amazing experience
This was the best experience we have had in Tokyo! Junko is utterly charming, energetic, funny and kind. She is also a superb chef.
We spent more than an hour touring the market as Junko explained many aspects of Japanese foods and showed us her favorite vendors. She stopped to let us shop for some other fine products.
We then accompanied Junko to her home, where she cooked a meal that was far more than we could consume and was absolutely delectable! She showed us several of her cooking techniques and allowed us to participate in creating the meal.
We were delighted by Junko’s granddaughter, who accompanied us throughout the day. She gave us several recommendations and enhanced the experience with her knowledge and warmth.
It was a lovely afternoon and we hope to see Junko and her granddaughter again."
"We had a lovely time with Junko, cooking together in her apartment. We stopped first and saw the market and shopped for lunch, picking up fresh shrimp and fish, which she showed us how to prepare in amazingly delicious typically Japanese dishes.
Junko was a delightful hostess, full of pleasant conversation and a patient teacher. Her English was excellent and we had no trouble communicating with her. I would definitely recommend this to experience to anyone visiting Tokyo who enjoys food and cooking."
"Our cooking experience with Junko in Tokyo was unforgettable! We started with a visit to Tsukiji Outer Market, where she introduced us to the vendors she works with regularly. It was fascinating to see how she connects with the local community. She helped us to buy some pottery and ingredients for ourselves that weren't related to the food we were making that day. Afterward, we headed to her cozy apartment, offering a glimpse into daily life in Tokyo. Junko guided us through making a full meal, including mushroom onigiri, tamagoyaki, and tonkatsu. She went above and beyond, sharing extra tips and advice on recipes we hope to try in the future. It’s been fantastic to stay in touch with her as we experiment with Japanese cooking at home. Her ongoing support and willingness to answer our questions have made the experience even more meaningful! Thank you so much to Junko-san!"
"Junko met us at subway station near the Tsukiji Market. We toured the market (fish, meat, produce, knives, ceramics and more) to buy ingredients for our lunch. Lunch was a rolled omelette, homemade pickles, a stew of fall vegetable and shrimp, miso soup and sashimi followed by carrot cake for dessert. Junko has a beautiful apartment and is a gracious hostess and an accomlished cook."
