
Welcome to “YUCa’s Japanese Cooking”,
a cooking class in Tokyo.
Chef and recipe creator YUCa will guide you through the art of
Simple, easy and delicious Japanese food to you!
The best cooking class in Japan 2018 - 2023 by TripAdvisor! See more detail.
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Live streaming cooking! We offer 8 classes. Menus of some classes change monthly.
Looking forward to meeting you and cooking together!
See virtual class
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We offer 7 classes at YUCa's private kitchen studio. Each class takes 3 hours and hands-on class. Please push button to know more detail.
See in-person class
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We introduce Japanese home cooking recipes (both video and text) for free. Please watch and try them out! Smart phone app is available too.
See recipes
Japanese Home Meals : 7

Menu:
– Miso soup with sweet potato, tofu and wakame seaweed [Recipe]
– Mixed rice with salmon and Shiso
– Chicken karaage [Recipe]
– Pickled daikon radish with yuzu peel [Recipe]
– Goma-ae with green beans [Recipe]
Paired tea:
– YUCa’s Tea (@yucastea ) : Tosa Cha
Recipe : Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Japanese karaage is simply deep-fried chicken seasoned with mostly soy sauce, sake, ginger and garlic. In Japan, karaage is loved by men and women of all ages, so much so that there are bento boxes that contain only karaage on a bed of white rice. It is also readily available at convenience stores, so it is common to see students and businessmen eating it for a quick pick-me-up. The key to its deliciousness is that it is crispy on the outside and juicy and juicy on the inside.
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Japanese Food for Kids : 10

Menu:
– Rice balls [Recipe]
– Miso soup with veggies [Recipe]
– Simmered fried tofu and vegetables topped with starchy sauce
– Potato salad [Recipe]
– Kimpira Gobo [Recipe]
– Apple
Behind the scenes:
This meal is recommended when your child wants to enjoy rice balls as the main dish while making sure to eat plenty of side dishes. The miso soup is filled with my personal favorite vegetables, and the kinpira gobo and potato salad are designed with dietary fiber in mind. The thick fried tofu, which can often be dry, is served with a thick sauce to make it easier to eat. For dessert, diced apples are included, making them easy for small children to pick up and eat with their hands.
Note : This recipe was first submitted on May 4, 2021, and resubmitted on June 10, 2025, to reflect additional information.
Tokyo Guide : Kappabashi Dogugai (河童橋道具街)

Kappabashi Dogugai (合羽橋道具街) is the largest cooking tool district in Japan, located adjacent to the Asakusa area.
Established in the Taisho era (1912-1926), Kappabashi Dogugai developed as a wholesale district for cooking utensils, tableware, and other items for the restaurant industry, and is now lined with nearly 200 stores, making it a tourist attraction visited by people from Japan and abroad.

Photo taken in front of my favorite Japanese ceramic shop “Dengama (田窯)”. And the giant statue of chef, as a landmark of the entrance for Kappabashi Dogugai.
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Japanese Home Meals : 6

Menu:
– Miso soup with spinach, silken tofu and shimeji mushrooms [Recipe]
– Japanese rice [Recipe]
– Teriyaki swordfish [Recipe]
– Pickled red turnips with yuzu peel [Recipe]
– Natto with Yukari
Paired tea:
– YUCa’s Tea : Chiran Cha
Recipe : Teriykaki Swordfish

This Teriyaki Swordfish is pan-seared to golden perfection and simmered in a sweet-savory glaze. With just a few ingredients and 15 minutes, dinner is done — and it looks beautiful too with a pop of green peas! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or an elegant Japanese-style dinner.
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Recipe : Pickled Red Turnips with Yuzu peel

This Pickled Red Turnip with Yuzu peel recipe is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy — a refreshing side dish that adds a pop of color to any meal. Quick and easy to make, these vibrant turnips are a great addition to salads, rice bowls, or just enjoyed on their own as a light, crunchy snack!
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Media Coverage
TV :
news every. by NTV 2024 (Japan)
Discover Japan in Your Fridge by ABC TV 2023 (Japan)
Tokyo Broadcasting System Television 2022 (Japan)
Cool Japan by NHK 2022 (Japan)
Fuji Television Network 2022 (Japan)
Biz Stream by NHK World 2021 (Japan)
Cool Japan by NHK 2020 (Japan)
Biz Stream by NHK World 2018 (Japan)
Web Media :
Forbes JAPAN (Japan)
@DIME (Japan)
JapanTravel.com (Japan)
トネリライナーノーツ(Japan) NEW!
The Points Guy (USA)
Babble.com (by Disney) (USA)
YouTube :
Cosa mangiamo oggi? (ITALY)
Raphael Gomez (UK)
Newspaper :
deStandard (Austria)
Nikkei (Japan)
Nikkei MJ (Japan)
Radio :
“Living in Japan” by NHK Radio (Japan)
J-Wave (Japan)
Magazine :
TOEI Transportation GUIDE (Japan)
東洋経済 Toyo-Keizai (Japan)
Nittone (にっとね)Local magazine (Japan)
Harmony by ECC Language school (Japan)
Movie :
“DASHI and SHOYU“, guest speaker
“Lost in translation“, 🙂
Note : This article was first submitted in Jan 1st, 2017 and resubmitted in June 4, 2025 to reflect revisions.
Japanese Food for Kids : 9

Menu:
– Sumashijiru (soy sause based clear soup) [Recipe]
– Onigiri [Recipe]
– Marmalade chicken [Recipe]
– Tuna salad with Komatsuna [Recipe]
– Banana
– Yogurt with blueberry jam
Behind the scenes:
This cute and colorful plate features bite-sized rice balls with various seasonings (like seaweed, sesame, and kinako), tender sautéed chicken, and a healthy hijiki seaweed salad. Sliced banana adds natural sweetness, paired with a cozy light soup topped with flower-shaped fu (wheat gluten). For dessert, creamy yogurt with a touch of blueberry sauce.
Note : This recipe was first submitted on May 4, 2021, and resubmitted on June 3, 2025, to reflect additional information.
Tokyo Guide : HIGASHIYA GINZA
Not just tea — this is a full seasonal kaiseki experience paired with rare Japanese teas. Only in Ginza.

HIGASHIYA GINZA is a modern Japanese tea salon located in the heart of Tokyo’s Ginza district. It beautifully blends traditional Japanese hospitality with a contemporary design. The café offers a refined experience centered around Japanese tea and seasonal cuisine.
On the day, our entire family had lunch together. My husband, my son, and I had the “Ichiju Sansai” course, while my daughter was served a set of rice balls and miso soup.

The “Ichiju Sansai” course included white rice, a hearty kenchin-jiru soup filled with root vegetables, a main dish made with red fish, three side dishes featuring seafood and seasonal vegetables, as well as nukazuke pickles and a simmered dish of kelp and shiitake mushrooms. We were full in no time.
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