You arrive at a casual sushi restaurant in Tokorozawa, a city in Saitama Prefecture that sits just outside Tokyo yet carries its own distinct local character. Unlike the high-end sushi counters of central Tokyo, this setting is relaxed and approachable, giving you direct access to a working chef in an everyday environment where sushi is made and served to local guests.
The chef demonstrates nigiri technique in front of you, and you follow along to shape and press your own sushi using the same method. Your guide translates and facilitates throughout the session, keeping the instruction clear and the pace comfortable. When questions come up — about rice preparation, fish selection, or hand technique — you raise them directly during the Q&A portion of the class.
By the end of the 90-minute session, you have formed your own nigiri pieces under the guidance of a professional chef. You eat what you have made, leaving with a practical understanding of how nigiri is constructed and the confidence to recognise the craft behind each piece.