Shinjuku: Easy Ramen Cooking Class in Kabukicho

4.87

(769 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the kitchen to smell like that—like roasted garlic, a little bit of smoky pork, and something sweet I couldn’t name. We were right in the middle of Kabukicho, neon signs buzzing outside, but inside it was just us and a couple of locals showing us how to make ramen. The instructor grinned when I hesitated over which soup base to pick (I went for the one she pointed at, honestly not sure what it was). She spoke mostly Japanese, so we used a translation app for the trickier bits—kind of funny, actually, because sometimes it would spit out nonsense and we’d all laugh.

The ramen making experience wasn’t about sweating over noodles from scratch (thank god), but more about layering flavors and textures. I got to stir-fry my own meat topping—sizzling beef that popped in the pan—and then tried to arrange everything in my bowl like they do on Instagram. Not even close. But nobody cared; the staff just nodded encouragingly while another guest tried to balance an egg on top (it slid off). The whole thing felt relaxed, like cooking with friends you just met.

Sitting down to eat what we’d made felt oddly satisfying. The broth was rich—secret recipe, apparently—and I caught this faint ginger scent rising up with the steam. Outside there were sirens somewhere far off and rain tapping against the window. I still think about that first mouthful; maybe it was hunger or maybe just Tokyo getting under my skin. Anyway, if you’re after a day trip ramen class in Shinjuku that’s easygoing but real enough to remember, this is probably it.