Gastronomy Tourism Booms with Rising Demand for Hands-On Experiences

Gastronomy, which explores culture and regionality through cuisine, is drawing more tourists to Japan than ever before. The Japan Tourism Agency is stepping up its efforts to highlight culinary experiences to meet this rising interest. Here are some services offering both educational and entertaining food experiences for inbound visitors.

In Tokyo's Araki Town, a historic geisha district, the century-old restaurant Sushidokoro Yachiyo offers popular sushi-making classes for international tourists. 

Sushi-Making in Tokyo

On a sweltering day in late July, a Mexican family of five, wearing chef hats and aprons, was molding sushi rice at Sushidokoro Yachiyo. 

A seasoned sushi chef with over 40 years of experience led the class with a warm smile. By night, he prepares sushi at his restaurant, and by day, he teaches the art of sushi-making.

"Wasabi, okay?" he asked a student. "Just a little," the student replied with a laugh.

Using simple English, the chef instructed his students on shaping sushi rice. "Small rice, rolling," he said. The students also learned to use a bamboo mat for sushi rolls and how to cut them without losing their shape. After an hour of focused effort, the students proudly displayed their creations, including tuna sushi and gunkan maki.

'A Valuable Experience'

Since 2015, Sushidokoro Yachiyo has been hosting sushi-making classes at three Tokyo locations, attracting over 50,000 participants. The company's president, Kazuki Nakase, notes that sushi's global appeal has drawn attendees from North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. He mentions that some participants inquire in detail about sushi rice preparation.

A 27-year-old participant from Mexico was thrilled with his sushi. "It's completely different from what we usually eat in Mexico," he said. "I want to try making it again when I get back home." 

He also valued the hands-on aspect of the experience, stating, "Rather than just observing or tasting, this experience gave us a deep understanding of Japanese traditional culture. It was a valuable experience to share with my family."

Character Bento Classes

Japan's culinary culture is also renowned for character bento — packed lunches featuring rice and side dishes shaped like cartoon characters or animals. Since 2017, over 10,000 people have participated in character bento classes offered by Washocook.

In July, a workshop in Shinjuku attracted a diverse group of participants, including a Taiwanese-American family from Seattle. They carefully assembled their character bentos, using sliced cheese and seaweed to create facial features for their rice balls. The process required both focus and skill, but the charming results brought satisfied smiles.

Sarah Choo (21) was particularly pleased with her work, calling it "cute." She noted, "In the United States, we pack simple lunches like sandwiches. Nothing as elaborate as Japanese bento, which looks like you packed a whole dinner into a box."

Founded in 2016, Washocook set up the Japan Association for Cooking Classes for Foreigners, with certified instructors leading these sessions. Noriko Tominaga, the Representative Director, stated, "We aim for travelers from abroad to discover Japan through the flavors of everyday Japanese home cooking."

Promoting Regional Tourism

Many of these gastronomy classes can be reserved online. The food experience platform byFood.com, which launched its services in 2019, has seen a significant increase in participation. According to a company representative, in June 2024, revenue from culinary experiences booked through their website tripled compared to the previous year.

"People value not just visiting tourist spots, but also engaging deeply in the culture through actual experiences and interactions with locals," the representative noted.

In June, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported a record-breaking 3,135,600 inbound visitors. The government projects that inbound tourism expenditure in 2024 will approach ¥8 trillion JPY ($55 billion USD). According to the Japan Tourism Agency’s 2023 annual report on foreign visitor trends, 83.2% of respondents listed eating Japanese food as the most anticipated activity.

As popular destinations struggle with overtourism, promoting gastronomy in regional areas is becoming a key strategy to distribute tourist traffic more evenly.

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Nozomi Motoe, The Sankei Shimbun