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Sushi-Making in Central Kyoto, with a Footbath to Finish

Top rated
4.5
Activity provider: SUSHI GARYU
Sushi-Making in Central Kyoto, with a Footbath to Finish
Sushi-Making in Central Kyoto, with a Footbath to Finish 2
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Ninety minutes shaping nigiri with tuna and salmon and rolling a mini maki, taught in English and Japanese a few streets from Nishiki Market.

Sushi-Making in Central Kyoto, with a Footbath to Finish: Key Facts

PriceFrom $77 per person
Duration1.5 hours
Group sizeUp to 10 people
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeMini Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Choose from 1 available option

Sushi-Making Class

Ninety minutes shaping nigiri and rolling maki with all ingredients and instruction included. Footbath available separat...
1.5 hours
English
$77
Free cancellation

Full description

Nigiri is two ingredients and one skill. The fish is the easy part; the rice is where it is won or lost, and the specific difficulty is pressure — squeeze and you get a compacted brick, go too gently and it falls apart between the plate and your mouth. A good piece holds its shape and collapses the moment it reaches your tongue, and nobody gets that right by watching.

This class is built around getting your hands on it. You learn how sushi rice is seasoned and why it is handled at body temperature, then shape nigiri with the standard toppings — tuna and salmon — with correction as you go. You also roll a mini maki, so you leave having done both of the two basic sushi forms rather than one.

Instruction runs in English and Japanese and is deliberately paced for first-timers. Groups cap at ten.

The footbath is the local flourish and it is optional, charged separately at 1,300 yen. Kyoto sits on hot spring water and ashiyu — sitting on a bench with your feet in a hot pool — is the low-commitment version of an onsen, particularly welcome after a day of temple walking. It is a nice way to end ninety minutes but it is not part of the ticket, so decide on the day.

The venue is on the second floor of a building in Kitakurumayacho in Nakagyo-ku, a few streets from Nishiki Market and the Kawaramachi shopping district, which makes it easy to fold into a central Kyoto afternoon. Note the venue is not wheelchair accessible.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

Arrive at the second-floor studio

How sushi rice is seasoned and handled

Shape nigiri with tuna and salmon

Roll a mini maki

Plate your work

Optional footbath to finish

Includes

  • Sushi-making class in English and Japanese
  • All ingredients
  • Instructor
  • The sushi you make

Excludes

  • Footbath fee, JPY 1,300 per person, paid on site
  • Transport to the venue
  • Additional food and drinks

Important information

Meeting point

2F, 276-28 Kitakurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8021 — a few streets from Nishiki Market.

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 1.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $77
$77
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.5/5
based on 34 reviews
Guide
4.6/5
Value for money
4.6/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
D
Dennis– Singapore
August 26, 2026

It was a really fun and interesting experience for the whole family. Everyone had a great time. You don't need to have any experience whatsoever, just need to show up. Everything including outfits are provided.

Review photo 1Review photo 2
5
T
Traveller– Japan
July 30, 2026

I had a great time at this sushi-making experience. The instructor was friendly, patient, and explained each step clearly, so it was easy to follow even though it was my first time making sushi. I learned size of sushi and make different kinds of sushi, and it was really fun to create my own. Everything was fresh and delicious, and I was surprised by how much I learned in such a short time. The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxed, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone visiting Japan or anyone who wants to learn more about Japanese food and culture. It was one of the highlights of my trip.

Review photo 1
5
T
Traveller– Japan
July 23, 2026

They taught us how to use the tools from the very beginning. I think it’s rare to find a place where you can have this kind of experience at this price. At the end, you can even take your sushi on the Shinkansen!

Review photo 1
5
W
Wendy
July 2, 2026

Really relaxed fun afternoon making sushi. The directions to the venue were a little tricky but we found it in the end.

5
A
Alexa
June 28, 2026

This workshop is excellent! Our guide Ryu was super helpful and we learned a lot. It was just our group of 4 and we had plenty of time to ask questions and perfect our sushi. We ended up with 12 pieces that we got to eat which was just enough. We got to try 6 different types of sushi which is great for learning what you like. I cannot recommend this workshop enough. So glad we did it. Thank you!

5
D
Davis
June 22, 2026

I had a great time in the Sushi Class. Mina was wonderful and did a great job explaining the process and was overall great to talk with. Definitely the highlight of my trip. Would highly recommend the experience!

5
R
Ralph
May 20, 2026

Nanami was a wonderful guide, giving clear and easy to follow instructions. We had great conversations and a really fun time, thanks to her :)

5
K
Katja
April 22, 2026

We happened to be all by ourselves, which made for an amazing private experience. Ryoto was a great teacher, so we all had fun making and eating our sushi. The quality of the food was great. Just the spot is a little hard to find, but once you’re there, it’s great.

5
S
Shelley
April 5, 2026

We had so much fun making our own sushi! We met some wonderful people and the instructors were fantastic.

5
R
Rachael
March 25, 2026

I had a great experience, it was so much fun both of the staff were really attentive and the sushi was delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

2F, 276-28 Kitakurumayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8021 — a few streets from Nishiki Market.
The price does not cover footbath fee, jpy 1,300 per person, paid on site, transport to the venue and additional food and drinks. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Unless the option says private, this runs as a small group. The operator caps it rather than filling a coach, and if you want it to yourselves the private option is priced separately on this page.
SUSHI GARYU. We book with them directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can confirm your place with the operator before taking it as final.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice outside India. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Sushi-making class in English and Japanese, All ingredients, Instructor, The sushi you make
The duration of the Sushi-Making in Central Kyoto, with a Footbath to Finish is typically 1.5 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, or mid-to-late November for peak autumn foliage. Kyoto sits in a basin and runs hotter in summer and colder in winter than Tokyo, even at a similar latitude. Full month-by-month figures are in our best time to visit Kyoto guide.
Kyoto never built an extensive subway — just two lines (Karasuma and Tozai) — so the city bus network does most of the work, especially for Higashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkakuji. Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama are best reached by JR rail instead. See getting around Kyoto.
Three days covers the essentials well: a day for Higashiyama and Gion, a day for Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, and a day for Fushimi Inari plus a Nara or Uji day trip. Our 3-day Kyoto itinerary has the full route with timing.
Arrive by 6:30-7am — the shrine is open 24/7 and free, and most visitors only walk the first 20-30 minutes anyway. Past that point the crowds thin out fast. Full hike details in our Fushimi Inari guide.
Yes — it's a public path with no entrance fee and no set hours. The trade-off is that it gets shoulder-to-shoulder by mid-morning; arrive before 8am for a nearly empty walk. See the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest guide.
Kyoto restricts photography on certain private alleys in Gion after complaints about tourists chasing and blocking geiko and maiko, with fines for violators. Public streets like Hanamikoji-dori remain open, but never chase, touch or block a real geiko/maiko anywhere. Full etiquette in our Gion geisha district guide.
Yudofu (simmered tofu, best near Nanzen-ji or Arashiyama), kaiseki and shojin ryori temple cuisine, and Nishiki Market's stalls of tako tamago and fresh yuba. Uji, just south of the city, is one of Japan's top matcha-growing regions. See the Kyoto food guide.
Starting from$77