Osaka: Home Cooking Class Okonomiyaki & Miso Soup with Lunch

4.98

(254 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell—kind of sweet, kind of savory—drifting out from the apartment door. Our host, Emi, waved us in with a smile that felt like she’d been expecting old friends. Her kitchen was small but bright, sunlight bouncing off metal bowls and stacks of little plates. I tried not to stare at the fridge magnets (totoro, a faded sumo wrestler) while Emi handed us aprons and asked if we’d ever made okonomiyaki before. I hadn’t. Not even close.

We started with dashimaki tamago—Japanese omelet—and Emi showed us how to roll the egg just right so it’s soft but not runny. She laughed when my chopsticks slipped and the omelet flopped over itself (it tasted fine anyway). The real star was okonomiyaki, which is this thick Osaka pancake full of cabbage, pork belly, batter… It sizzled on the pan while Emi explained why Osaka’s called Japan’s food capital. The bonito flakes danced on top when we finished—like they were alive or something. I still think about that weirdly hypnotic moment.

Lunch was what we cooked: okonomiyaki, miso soup (made from scratch), and then matcha tea we whisked ourselves until our arms got tired. Emi poured extra green tea for us because she said foreigners always need more caffeine after travel days—she wasn’t wrong. We finished with taiyaki, those fish-shaped waffles stuffed with red bean paste. Mine split open but tasted warm and sweet anyway; Emi said it looked “very artistic,” which I’m pretty sure was polite Japanese for “messy.”

I liked that it didn’t feel rushed or formal—just a few travelers crowded around someone’s kitchen table, sharing food and stories in broken English and bits of Japanese. If you’re looking for a day trip cooking class in Osaka that feels like visiting someone’s home instead of a school, this is it. And if you’re brave enough to try saying “okonomiyaki” out loud, be ready for some gentle teasing—I still can’t get it right.