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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Makiko

Tokyo, Japan

USD
$52-$89 per person

Creative Japanese Cooking in a Beautiful Tokyo Home

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Makiko

A Tokyo native, Makiko lives in a beautiful, spacious townhouse in the residential neighborhood around Komazawa Olympic Park. Makiko is a kind, warm-hearted person who loves people and hosting dinner parties for her foreign friends. Makiko values fresh, seasonal food ingredients sourced locally and uses traditional Japanese ingredients such as ume, shiso, and myoga in her dishes which render a distinctive flavor to your food. Learn about ingredients essential to authentic Japanese cooking and see how they are transformed into creative, beautiful and flavorful dishes. Makiko was one of the first people to take care of foreign families who were sent to Japan for work, a couple of decades ago. She was responsible for helping foreigners get accustomed to the Japanese way of life and introduced them to Japanese culture, customs and shopping. She is a wealth of knowledge about Japanese food and culture, and looks forward to sharing it with travelers.

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: (2-8 guests) Makiko will pick you up at the station in her car or a taxi and drive you five minutes to her home. You will be served a cup of refreshing tea as you sit down in her living room and hear a rundown of the menu for the day. Your Japanese feast with Makiko may include dishes such as chikuzenni (traditional Japanese dish of chicken and vegetables cooked together), vegetable ohitashi and miso eggplant. Your menu may vary depending on the season. Makiko’s home is child friendly and she would be happy to host little foodies!

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Join Makiko in her kitchen for a hands-on cooking lesson of traditional-inspired, homemade Japanese dishes. Makiko will explain the cooking process in detail and share important tips about Japanese cooking that are not taught in recipe books. The cooking portion of your experience will take 1.5 – 2 hours depending on the number of people in your group. After the dishes have been cooked, you will sit down together at her dining table and enjoy the feast you helped prepare.

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Makiko will meet you at Sakurashinmachi station on Tokyu Denentoshi Line. Together you will walk to a local supermarket and learn about important Japanese foods and ingredients that locals use in their everyday cooking. Makiko is an expert on Japanese cuisine so feel free to ask her anything about Japanese food and ingredients.

Notes: Please note this experience is only available on Sundays for an evening experience.

Languages spoken: English, Japanese

Sample menu

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.
  • Chikuzenni, the traditional Japanese dish of chicken and vegetables cooked together
  • Vegetable ohitashi
  • Miso eggplant

Traveler reviews

5.0 (8)
We had a wonderful evening with Makiko Takenaka. Communication before during and after the visit was excellent. We took the subway about 45 minutes west of downtown Tokyo. Makiko was right at the station when we got off. We first went to the market where we spent quite a while learning about the various ingredients - unusual vegetables, fresh fish, premade foods, indistinguishable bottles of sauces, etc. We were then welcomed into her lovely home. Makiko had all the ingredients for dinner out and ready to use. We had an instructive and lovely chat during the food preparation and then shared the many delicious and ample dishes. Makiko's English is perfect (she teaches English) so we were able to ask questions and share information about our lives and experiences. If we are ever able to return to tokyo, we would certainly include another visit with Ms. Takenaka.
- Moiz May 10, 2025
Wonderful experience with shopping, a cooking class, a delicious meal, and fine company! We had a wonderful evening with Makiko. Communication before during and after the visit was excellent. We took the subway about 45 minutes west of downtown Tokyo. Makiko was right at the station when we got off. We first went to the market where we spent quite a while learning about the various ingredients - unusual vegetables, fresh fish, premade foods, indistinguishable bottles of sauces, etc. We were then welcomed into her lovely home. Makiko had all the ingredients for dinner out and ready to use. We had an instructive and lovely chat during the food preparation and then shared the many delicious and ample dishes. Makiko's English is perfect (she teaches English) so we were able to ask questions and share information about our lives and experiences. If we are ever able to return to tokyo, we would certainly include another visit with Makiko.
- MoiDC May 10, 2025
Happy we did this! Our wish was to learn everyday doable Japanese cuisine in a home setting and Makiko provided this and more! Besides being able to taste delicious food we also got to connect with a truly talented person. With her guidance and recipes we can’t wait to duplicate the satisfying menu. Mahalo Makiko
- Aloha8082018 November 17, 2024
We love doing cooking lessons whenever we travel abroad. And this session with Makiko was too interesting to pass up! She met us at the local subway station and walked us to her neighborhood grocery store. It was a fascinating tour that went aisle-by-aisle, exposing us to Japanese ingredients, home cooking trends, and what new trends were evolving in Japan. We then went to her home in a lovely neighborhood where she shared what mealtime was like in a normal Japanese home. This included all sorts of introductions to cooking Japanese-style. The table was groaning under the weight of everything we made with her and the food was absolutely delicious. At the end of the evening, she drove us back to a nearby train station. This was a fascinating evening that not only gave us exposure to Japanese food but also an incredible insight to Japanese life, something you don't get in most tourist activities.
- wineTrain June 11, 2023
This was one of the best experiences of our trip! Makiko was such a lovely host, teaching us about the different processes and sharing interesting stories. The supermarket tour was great with a local point of view. And of course the food is amazing! And it was so interesting having real home style Japanese cooking. If you’re looking for a more intimate experience with a peek into a Japanese household you should definitely try this one.
- Guy_S May 10, 2023
As residents of Japan, already being aware of the richness of Japanese culture and cuisine, our experience with Makiko served to greatly exceed our expectations. She was the perfect gracious host; patient and informative. We learned so much while visiting the local shops and while preparing the evening meal. She answered many questions and expanded our awareness of the complexity of Japanese cuisine, and Japanese hospitality. It was a highly enjoyable experience. By the way, last but not least, Makiko took great care to provide super logistical support making sure it was easy toi meet-up so everything proceeded smoothly. Also, Makiko's excellent English language proficiency added great depth to the conversation.
- Dr. Joana November 01, 2019
Although we booked Makiko's cooking session only a view days in advance we were lucky that she was available at this evening. We met at a nearby train station and were led throgh the market area by Makiko. She knew a lot about the different food we were going to have for dinner and it was amazing to see all the different shops in a real Tokyo neighborhood. As tourists we would have never gone there. After our market experience we walked to Makikos home and felt at home at once. We could help to prepare the vegetables, fish, and the rest food was prepared together - although in some parts we were glad that Makiko was a perfect teacher and much faster than we were in cutting and preparing all the ingredients. If we had to prepare it on our own we would have been very hungry afterwards. In the end a wonderful dinner was prepared and we had such a great time. Very different tastes could be enjoyed. Perfect! Thank you so much for the nice time we had!
- Kunde vom See November 01, 2018
I booked a cooking experience via Traveling Spoon with Makiko T. of Tokyo Japan. We started the evening with tea and we discussed the recipes we would prepare. The recipes were challangeing enough to be interesting, but easy enough to recreate at home. We spent the majority of the evening cooking in which Makiko demonstrated her teaching skills as she patiently and expertly walked me through several recipes. From there we sat down to a truly delicious meal. We discussed food, Japan, family, and life, and for the first time since my arrival in Japan I felt relaxed and completely at ease. I found Makiko to be warm, generous, and hospitable, and I highly recommend booking a cooking experience with her. Makiko, If you happen to read this, thank you again.
- angela f July 01, 2018
Read More

Makiko

$52-$89 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $52 $52
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $79 $79
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $89 $84
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $52 $52
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $79 $79
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $89 $84
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 6:30pm-8:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 3:30pm-7:30pm

Meet Makiko

A Tokyo native, Makiko lives in a beautiful, spacious townhouse in the residential neighborhood around Komazawa Olympic Park. Makiko is a kind, warm-hearted person who loves people and hosting dinner parties for her foreign friends. Makiko values fresh, seasonal food ingredients sourced locally and uses traditional Japanese ingredients such as ume, shiso, and myoga in her dishes which render a distinctive flavor to your food. Learn about ingredients essential to authentic Japanese cooking and see how they are transformed into creative, beautiful and flavorful dishes. Makiko was one of the first people to take care of foreign families who were sent to Japan for work, a couple of decades ago. She was responsible for helping foreigners get accustomed to the Japanese way of life and introduced them to Japanese culture, customs and shopping. She is a wealth of knowledge about Japanese food and culture, and looks forward to sharing it with travelers.

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: (2-8 guests) Makiko will pick you up at the station in her car or a taxi and drive you five minutes to her home. You will be served a cup of refreshing tea as you sit down in her living room and hear a rundown of the menu for the day. Your Japanese feast with Makiko may include dishes such as chikuzenni (traditional Japanese dish of chicken and vegetables cooked together), vegetable ohitashi and miso eggplant. Your menu may vary depending on the season. Makiko’s home is child friendly and she would be happy to host little foodies!

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Join Makiko in her kitchen for a hands-on cooking lesson of traditional-inspired, homemade Japanese dishes. Makiko will explain the cooking process in detail and share important tips about Japanese cooking that are not taught in recipe books. The cooking portion of your experience will take 1.5 – 2 hours depending on the number of people in your group. After the dishes have been cooked, you will sit down together at her dining table and enjoy the feast you helped prepare.

Market visit: (2-6 guests) Makiko will meet you at Sakurashinmachi station on Tokyu Denentoshi Line. Together you will walk to a local supermarket and learn about important Japanese foods and ingredients that locals use in their everyday cooking. Makiko is an expert on Japanese cuisine so feel free to ask her anything about Japanese food and ingredients.

Notes: Please note this experience is only available on Sundays for an evening experience.

Languages spoken: English, Japanese

Sample menu

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.
  • Chikuzenni, the traditional Japanese dish of chicken and vegetables cooked together
  • Vegetable ohitashi
  • Miso eggplant

Traveler reviews

5.0 (8)
We had a wonderful evening with Makiko Takenaka. Communication before during and after the visit was excellent. We took the subway about 45 minutes west of downtown Tokyo. Makiko was right at the station when we got off. We first went to the market where we spent quite a while learning about the various ingredients - unusual vegetables, fresh fish, premade foods, indistinguishable bottles of sauces, etc. We were then welcomed into her lovely home. Makiko had all the ingredients for dinner out and ready to use. We had an instructive and lovely chat during the food preparation and then shared the many delicious and ample dishes. Makiko's English is perfect (she teaches English) so we were able to ask questions and share information about our lives and experiences. If we are ever able to return to tokyo, we would certainly include another visit with Ms. Takenaka.
- Moiz May 10, 2025
Wonderful experience with shopping, a cooking class, a delicious meal, and fine company! We had a wonderful evening with Makiko. Communication before during and after the visit was excellent. We took the subway about 45 minutes west of downtown Tokyo. Makiko was right at the station when we got off. We first went to the market where we spent quite a while learning about the various ingredients - unusual vegetables, fresh fish, premade foods, indistinguishable bottles of sauces, etc. We were then welcomed into her lovely home. Makiko had all the ingredients for dinner out and ready to use. We had an instructive and lovely chat during the food preparation and then shared the many delicious and ample dishes. Makiko's English is perfect (she teaches English) so we were able to ask questions and share information about our lives and experiences. If we are ever able to return to tokyo, we would certainly include another visit with Makiko.
- MoiDC May 10, 2025
Happy we did this! Our wish was to learn everyday doable Japanese cuisine in a home setting and Makiko provided this and more! Besides being able to taste delicious food we also got to connect with a truly talented person. With her guidance and recipes we can’t wait to duplicate the satisfying menu. Mahalo Makiko
- Aloha8082018 November 17, 2024
We love doing cooking lessons whenever we travel abroad. And this session with Makiko was too interesting to pass up! She met us at the local subway station and walked us to her neighborhood grocery store. It was a fascinating tour that went aisle-by-aisle, exposing us to Japanese ingredients, home cooking trends, and what new trends were evolving in Japan. We then went to her home in a lovely neighborhood where she shared what mealtime was like in a normal Japanese home. This included all sorts of introductions to cooking Japanese-style. The table was groaning under the weight of everything we made with her and the food was absolutely delicious. At the end of the evening, she drove us back to a nearby train station. This was a fascinating evening that not only gave us exposure to Japanese food but also an incredible insight to Japanese life, something you don't get in most tourist activities.
- wineTrain June 11, 2023
This was one of the best experiences of our trip! Makiko was such a lovely host, teaching us about the different processes and sharing interesting stories. The supermarket tour was great with a local point of view. And of course the food is amazing! And it was so interesting having real home style Japanese cooking. If you’re looking for a more intimate experience with a peek into a Japanese household you should definitely try this one.
- Guy_S May 10, 2023
As residents of Japan, already being aware of the richness of Japanese culture and cuisine, our experience with Makiko served to greatly exceed our expectations. She was the perfect gracious host; patient and informative. We learned so much while visiting the local shops and while preparing the evening meal. She answered many questions and expanded our awareness of the complexity of Japanese cuisine, and Japanese hospitality. It was a highly enjoyable experience. By the way, last but not least, Makiko took great care to provide super logistical support making sure it was easy toi meet-up so everything proceeded smoothly. Also, Makiko's excellent English language proficiency added great depth to the conversation.
- Dr. Joana November 01, 2019
Although we booked Makiko's cooking session only a view days in advance we were lucky that she was available at this evening. We met at a nearby train station and were led throgh the market area by Makiko. She knew a lot about the different food we were going to have for dinner and it was amazing to see all the different shops in a real Tokyo neighborhood. As tourists we would have never gone there. After our market experience we walked to Makikos home and felt at home at once. We could help to prepare the vegetables, fish, and the rest food was prepared together - although in some parts we were glad that Makiko was a perfect teacher and much faster than we were in cutting and preparing all the ingredients. If we had to prepare it on our own we would have been very hungry afterwards. In the end a wonderful dinner was prepared and we had such a great time. Very different tastes could be enjoyed. Perfect! Thank you so much for the nice time we had!
- Kunde vom See November 01, 2018
I booked a cooking experience via Traveling Spoon with Makiko T. of Tokyo Japan. We started the evening with tea and we discussed the recipes we would prepare. The recipes were challangeing enough to be interesting, but easy enough to recreate at home. We spent the majority of the evening cooking in which Makiko demonstrated her teaching skills as she patiently and expertly walked me through several recipes. From there we sat down to a truly delicious meal. We discussed food, Japan, family, and life, and for the first time since my arrival in Japan I felt relaxed and completely at ease. I found Makiko to be warm, generous, and hospitable, and I highly recommend booking a cooking experience with her. Makiko, If you happen to read this, thank you again.
- angela f July 01, 2018
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $52 $52
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $79 $79
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $89 $84
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $52 $52
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $79 $79
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $89 $84
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 6:30pm-8:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 5:00pm-8:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 3:30pm-7:30pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

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.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 4% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can't make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host's profile doesn't work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host's family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the "Notes" section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.