Last year, I was so happy to welcome guests from many different countries to my kitchen studio 🌍✨
Many guests visited the kitchen studio for the first time in several years, and it was a truly joyful time to catch up with one another while cooking together.
This year as well, I hope to continue creating warm and memorable in-person experiences for everyone who loves Japanese food culture and is visiting Japan 🇯🇵🍱
Discover the beauty of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets inspired by the seasons 🌸
Join our hands-on Japanese Sweets & Tea class in Tokyo and experience Japanese culture through taste, tea, and craftsmanship.
No experience needed—just curiosity ✨
Japan has four distinct seasons. We enjoy seasonal foods and also savor traditional Japanese sweets that reflect each season. Traditional Japanese sweets are called wagashi. One of the most popular types of wagashi is mochi, which is made from glutinous rice. In this class, you will make three kinds of wagashi, including mochi. You will also enjoy matcha, which has become famous worldwide, not only as a beverage but also as a dessert. In addition, you will learn about various types of Japanese tea and enjoy pairing them with wagashi.
With the guidance, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of wagashi and Japanese food culture, including the importance of seasonality, ingredient selection, and traditional aesthetics. As part of the class, you will also visit a local supermarket to explore Japanese ingredients used in Wagashi.
During the year-end and New Year season, children from all over the world visit my cooking studio.
What always strikes me is their eagerness—
“I want to do the cutting!” “Let me mix!” “I’ll measure!”
They jump in with bright curiosity and confidence.
Meanwhile, the parents take a step back, happily playing a supporting role. They want their children to experience making Japanese food with their own hands.
In their quiet presence, I sense a deeper wish: that their children will grow up able to take responsibility for their own health.
Even amid the busyness of the season, these moments fill the studio with warmth—and make all my end-of-year fatigue fade away.
Most of my guests join my Japanese cooking class just once,
but from time to time, some of them come back — and that always means so much to me.
Recently, something truly special happened.
A French couple who joined my class 12 years ago, at my old studio, visited me again during their trip to Japan.
They’ve recently gotten married, and they chose to return to my cooking class.
We shared updates about our lives and how we’ve changed over the years.
It was such a heartfelt and beautiful moment.
They even told me that they still cook the recipes I taught them back then.
That made me incredibly happy and reminded me why I love what I do.❤️
Our cooking class studio in Tokyo is dressed up for the holidays, blending a cozy Christmas atmosphere with a touch of Japanese style. Soft winter light through shoji screens creates a warm and peaceful space—perfect for enjoying seasonal flavors and meaningful moments around the table.
A special setting, available only during the Christmas season.
We look forward to welcoming you here 🍵✨
At my cooking studio, I also offer original goods and a curated selection of products that I truly recommend. This photo was taken after one of the classes.
On this day, each guest chose something different to take home— Yuzu sake, Premium sake, Uji matcha, and Chiran Cha from YUCa’s Tea.
Are you curious about what other items we have? Come and see them for yourself at my kitchen studio! Please check the class calendar and keep your seats from here !❤️
The interior of my kitchen studio has evolved once again!✨
TASKI (@taski.media ) has created a special display shelf for my cooking class.
The shelf showcases five different types of knives, and during the class, you can even try cutting with them to experience their sharpness firsthand. Come join the class and feel the real cutting performance for yourself!
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Exciting update!
Last month, our cooking studio was closed for about a week for renovations.
It’s been a while since last year’s restroom expansion… and this time we focused on upgrading the hand-washing area.
Until now, we only had a family-use sink, so I often asked guests to wash their hands in the kitchen sink (and sometimes you even had to wait ).
For security reasons, we replaced one window with a wall. To improve the flow, we removed the entrance door and added a noren curtain instead. We also incorporated a pantry space.
And finally—we now have two extra sinks!
I’m so relieved that everyone can now wash their hands smoothly and enjoy the class more comfortably.
Please come and experience the refreshed studio!
A traditional noren curtain has just been added to our gallery space!
Recently, we shared the exciting news about the launch of our gallery where you can immerse yourself in the world of YUCa’s Tea. Now, we’ve installed a specially crafted noren within the same space.
Not only does it provide a sense of privacy—so the inside of the house isn’t fully visible when you open the door—but it also gently guides visitors toward the second-floor kitchen studio. It’s both functional and beautiful, and we’re absolutely in love with it. We’d love for you to come and see it in person!
TV :
2025.7.24 – DayDay by NTV (Japan) NEW!
2025.7.9 – ひるおび by TBS (Japan)
2025.6.28 – シューイチ by NTV (Japan)
2025.6.24 – Live News イット！by Fuji TV (Japan)
2023.6.13 – news every. by NTV (Japan)
2022.11.4 – Discover Japan in Your Fridge by ABC TV (Japan)
2022.10 – Nスタ by TBS (Japan)
2022 – Cool Japan by NHK (Japan)
2022 – Live News イット！ by Fuji TV (Japan)
2021 – Biz Stream by NHK World (Japan)
2020.1 – Cool Japan by NHK (Japan)
2018.12 – Biz Stream by NHK World (Japan)
Web Media :
2025.6 – Forbes JAPAN (Japan)
2025.6 – Forbes (USA)
2025.5 – トネリライナーノーツ (Japan)
2025.4 – Airbnb – Newsroom (USA)
2024.7 – The Points Guy (USA)
2020.2 – Forbes JAPAN (Japan)
2020.8 – @DIME (Japan)
2017.11 – JapanTravel.com (Japan)
2017.8 – 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 July 24, 2025 to reflect revisions.
